Pointing And Laughing
Rhea can feel everybody’s eyes burn into the back of her neck. She heard their laughter, their sniggering. She could even feel their fingers pointing at her. She tried so hard to control her breathing and prevent her face from turning beet red, but the breaths came quicker and her cheeks warmed regardless.
But Rhea didn’t care. This was her moment. It was her stage. Nothing and no one was going to stop her.
She Loved Sport
11-year-old Rhea Bullos loved nothing more than playing sports. Whether she was playing soccer with her brothers, baseball with her friends or just simply running back and forth in her backyard, Rhea - and her family - knew she was destined to become an athlete.
But something would soon happen to this young girl; and it would turn her world upside down.
An Unfortunate Situation
You see, unfortunately, Rhea, she was from a low-income family who couldn’t afford to buy even basic things, let alone professional equipment for Rhea.
But this didn’t stop the young girl. She did whatever she could, in order to play with the other children. Nothing was going to stop her. But things were about to change for Rhea. And nothing would ever be the same again.
She Didn’t Listen To Them
Despite her parent’s financial situation, Rhea worked hard every day using all sorts of improvised materials. Her peers mocked her, pointed at her, and called her names. But she didn't care. She was doing what she loved.
She didn’t pay attention to what they said, she just worked toward her goals. But Rhea had no idea what was coming.
A New Sports Club
A few weeks later, a sports club for children was organized at Rhea’s school. Rhea wanted to join the sports club but her parents didn't know how to help her because they couldn't afford it. Despite this, her parents knew how much this meant to Rhea. They knew this was her destiny.
No one in the world would have known about this girl's story if it wasn’t for what happened next.
This Was Her Moment
Rhea took part in the international school competition. Fortunately, it was held in Rhea’s hometown so getting there wouldn’t be a struggle or expensive.
As soon as Rhea walked into the stadium she felt a rush of adrenaline. This was her moment. She had no idea what was coming.
Whispers And Smirks
At the start of the race, as Rhea walked out onto the tracks, people began to whisper, pointing and smirking at the young athlete herself.
You see, as Rhea didn’t have any sneakers of her own, and her parents couldn’t afford any, she knew she had to something. And it was something that nobody would ever forget.
Making Her Own ‘Sneakers’
Rhea decided to make her own ‘sneakers.’ She did this by wrapping her feet in tape and drawing the iconic Nike logo on them.
As she warms herself up for the race, Rhea didn’t care that people were pointing and laughing. She knew this was her moment. She had been waiting for years for this moment. She was ready. But not even Rhea could have predicted what would happen next.
Warming Up
“You have 2 minutes until the race,” shouted Rhea’s coach to his team. Rhea’s father came rushing over to her, “you sure you want to do this?” he asked. “It’s not too late to just go back home.” Rhea looked at her father. “Dad, I’ll be fine,” she said with a smile.
Rhea’s dad made his way to the stands, hoping his daughter would be fine. But then the most amazing thing happened a little later.
Going For Gold
Rhea wore the tape shoes to take part in 3 races that day. The 400meter, 800meter, and 15000 Meters. And to everyone's surprise, she ran the 400meter race without any problems! She won the competition in the 800meter race and she also claimed gold in the 1500meter race!
Rhea was both lost for words and incredibly proud, relishing in her win and success. But more surprises were waiting for Rhea.
Sharing Her Story
The girl came home with three Gold medals that day and the reporters who were at the competition were amazed at the young athlete.
After such a successful day, the head coach shared Rhea’s story on social networks. And nothing was ever the same again.
Going Viral
The whole world recognized the name of Rhea Bullos. Everyone was inspired by her desire for victory and her love for sports. Of course, the post became popular and help came from different parts of the world.
Thousands of people from all locations in the world wrote words of admiration to the little athlete and also sent the girl some sports equipment and shoes!