Join us for S4:EP30 of the Legacy After the Locker Room Podcast as Mikel Thomas, 4x Olympian and the first athlete to qualify for both the Summer and Winter Olympics for Trinidad and Tobago, joins host Kayla Bradham to discuss his journey serving in various organizations, and empowering the athletes representing his home country!
Mikel has the heart of a Champion, but he also knows what it’s like to struggle. Mikel has had the honor to compete as an Olympian, to serve as a Firefighter, and the privilege of leading as the Strategy & Operations Manager for Inclusive Client Partnerships at Visa.
“Throughout my life, I have always been interested in doing more than focusing solely on sport. Like many athletes, I struggled for funding sometimes, so much so that in 2015 I hit my lowest point and was evicted from my home. During this time, I decided to find out what else I was capable of doing.
There was always a small voice inside of me that wanted to become a firefighter, so that’s exactly what I did. I thought there was a way I could help people more than I was, and this way I can literally put my life on the line to save others.”
HIGHLIGHTS OF MIKEL’S PODCAST
- 00:00 Introduction
- 00:35 How did running Mikel’s journey begin
- 2:05 Mikel’s hurdle analogy
- 3:05 What sport and what Olympics Mikel competed in
- 6:25 Highlight and lowlight of his journey
- 9:30 What inspired Mikel to become a firefighter
- 12:25 Diversity in sport
- 13:20 Mikel’s job at Visa
- 14:57 Where did Mikel’s motivation to create his own legacy come from
- 17:40 Mikel’s best mentors and coaches and what he took from them
- 19:35 Sponsor shoutout: Dugout Mugs (Code: Kayla30)
- 20:08 What charity and community initiative is Mikel passionate about
- 25:32 Where you can follow and get in touch with Mikel
- 27:30 Mikel’s words of wisdom and final thoughts
SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS AND WEBSITE
- LinkedIn: Mikel Thomas
- Twitter: @Mikel_Thomas
- Facebook: Mikel Thomas
- Instagram: @mikel_thomas
