(The Undefeated)
It was the early 2000s. And before every race, Maritza McClendon faced a starting block, a swim lane, as well as a crowd of spectators watching her every move. McClendon was only one of two black women on the University of Georgia Lady Bulldogs swimming and diving team, but the pressure she felt to win was so heavy it could break her concentration. There was a routine that kept her focused. Inspired by words from her father, Vincent, a former University of London crew member, the swimmer would step to the block, touch her toes and tell herself, “Just do your best.”
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