Meet Clara Hughes (Scholastic Canada Biography)

"Growing up in Winnipeg, Clara liked sports, but she wasn't a top athlete. Getting outside to play was a good escape from some of the turmoil and sadness at home. But as she got older, she picked other ways -- ways that were not good for her, until the fateful day she watched speed skater Gaétan Boucher compete at the 1988 Winter Games. Clara decided she would do that too. It was a life-changing decision. Clara quickly learned to speed skate and began competing. Part of her training included cycling and it turned out she was great at that too. She switched to cycling and worked very hard - maybe too hard. Even though she won multiple Olympic medals in cycling, but winning didn't make her feel good. She felt sadder than ever. Clara realized that all the medals in the world would not make her okay. She had to work as hard on her mental health as she did on her training. Maybe even harder. Clara decided it would be good for her to take a break from cycling. She returned speed skating and won medals in that, too! This time it felt better in the spotlight, which she decided to use to help children - especially girls - around the world have better access to sport.