With her eyes set on another Olympic gold this Summer, volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings has been following an intense training schedule in preparation for the Games. On the heels of announcing her partnership with KT Tape, the 38 year-old mother of three recently chatted with us about her workouts, eating habits, and mental focus.
“It’s been an emotional, physical, and mental growth since the last Olympic Games,” said Walsh Jennings. After winning the 2012 gold medal in London, her longtime teammate Misty May-Treanor announced her retirement – something Walsh didn’t see for herself anytime soon.
With hopes of a fourth gold medal, Kerri found a new partner in April Ross. The two athletes are each other’s biggest motivators, said Walsh Jennings. “Every day, [we] challenge each other. I admire her and I respect her. I want to rise with her. I feel like we’re doing it together.” And they are definitely doing it! The dynamic duo currently tops the US women’s team and is earning medal after medal at international competitions.
Walsh Jennings’s eternal drive for improvement in all areas helps propel her to be a better athlete. “I am really committed to just growing and evolving my entire life.” She accredits much of her success and strength on the court to motherhood. “My children have taught me so much,” she said. “The mommy in me wants to be an amazing role model for my kids. The Olympian in me wants to be a hero.” Walsh Jennings continued, saying that it’s her three children that take her passion for the game to the “next, next, next” level.
To see what the next level looks like for an Olympian, go behind the scenes to see how KWJ trains, check out more about her happy mommy life, and find out what she’s learned that’s helped her ascend to the top of her game.
Related: Here’s What an Olympic Athlete’s Training Schedule Looks Like (Hint: It’s Not Easy)
Source: Pop Sugar