Lausanne, Switzerland, November 11, 2019 – “My battle cry has always been breathe, believe, battle,” said Kerri Walsh Jennings. The three-time Olympic gold medallist talked to fivb.com after her silver medal finish at the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Qinzhou 3-star about the importance of a winning mentality.
Kerri Walsh Jennings celebrates a point in Qinzhou, China
A role model for the sport, the United States' beach volleyball legend radiates positivity as she pushes at the boundaries of an athlete’s career span.
“There are no limits in life. I think they are just limits that we put on ourselves. I wanted to be great when I was a child, when I was young in the game. My age, whenever I think about it, there’s no expiration date on greatness,” Walsh Jennings said.
“I don’t care if you’re super young and people think that you can’t do it and if you’re super old and you can’t do it, it’s really up to you to determine your destiny. If you enjoy it and follow what you love and put your heart into it, everything is possible.”
Kerri Walsh Jennings and partner Brooke Sweat were silver medallists in Qinzhou
Walsh Jennings believes challenges are all part of the process.
“Nothing’s hard,” Walsh Jennings said. “I think the biggest challenge doesn’t mean it’s easy, but the biggest challenge is handling the ups and downs of the process of becoming great because it hurts our heart more if we’re not great. It’s all part of the process and it makes us stronger once we endure and outlast and come together after some missteps.”
Walsh Jennings and Sweat will play in Chetumal, Mexico this week
Walsh Jennings certainly is not done with her quest for greatness, which is why she is gunning for the spot at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and a chance to win her fifth Olympic beach volleyball medal. But staying humble and a winning mentality are key.
“Humility is a beautiful virtue,” she said. “All of the greats to me in anything, I think they have confidence, pride and a good foundation of knowledge of their craft, but they have humility and the fact that they know that they know nothing, and there is so much more to learn.
“For me, as an athlete and as a woman, I know that I’m just scratching the surface as far as my potential. My talent on and off the court, if you’re having a good mindset, that’s where humility begins.
“It’s important to take pride wherever you are. If you’re at the bottom of the ladder, take pride in that. Know that it’s just a temporary pitstop on the way to greatness.”
Quick links - Beach volleyball:
FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour - Chetumal
FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour - Qinzhou