When I was little, I cared a lot about becoming an athlete, and one day, I finally became a runner. Of course, it was exhausting. Eventually, I had to leave my country to compete in the World Championship. My family stayed back in my hometown, and I found myself in the middle of an intense race. We were running so fast, racing against seconds, and I was falling far behind.
I whispered to myself, “I wish a miracle would happen.” Suddenly, the lights in the stadium went out, and the race was canceled. Everyone was evacuated. I was incredibly happy—not because the race ended, but because I had been so far behind and completely out of energy. That moment taught me something important: I needed to work harder from then on.
Even though I was tired, I refused to give up. I became more determined and ambitious. Yes, I was getting older, and time was passing, but I stayed a little longer after the race because people were interested in what had happened with the lights—on Instagram and other platforms.
I didn’t return to my country right away. Instead, I continued training in other stadiums. Eventually, I competed again—and this time, I finished third. That moment proved to me that perseverance pays off.