Ashleigh Johnson never had dreams to become an Olympian. Her aspirations resided in medicine and wanting to become a doctor. But, for now, that can wait.
Johnson is making history as the first black American woman to compete in water polo in the Olympics. The 21-year-old Princeton student and U.S. women’s water polo goalie is the backbone of her team, one heavily favored to win gold.
“I definitely feel the responsibility to be a role model for other black people and minorities because there are so little of us in this sport,” Johnson told TIME. “Just being myself, being black draws more attention to me. But I didn’t feel like looking different mean I had to play differently, or had to prove anything to anybody. I felt like I could be myself and play as well as anybody else.”
The team’s first match is on Tuesday, Aug. 9, against Spain. So, before the competition heats up, let’s take a closer look at Johnson, who endured three two-and-a-half hour water polo practices when she was younger. What dedication!
