My name is Mariam Abdul-Rashid, and I am a 100m hurdler for Team Canada. Since I was six years old, I’ve dreamed of competing in the Olympics. I had a fantastic high school career, but in college, injuries took a toll on my performance and my spirit. My mental health suffered.

Returning home to Canada was a pivotal moment for me. I knew that I wanted to keep pursuing my Olympic dream, but I had to embrace my own pace and accept where I was in that moment. Home was the place where I had once built myself into a great athlete, and I knew I could do it again.

With the support of therapy, new coaching, and physical rehab, I began to dismantle the pressures of where I “should be.” I focused on healing and improving myself one day at a time.

Today, I am proud to call myself an Olympian, the 2024 national champion, and #3 all-time 100m hurdler in Canadian history. My journey has taught me the power of resilience and the importance of believing in myself, no matter the obstacles.