Keni Harrison: Track & Field
POPSUGAR: What brings you joy?
Keni Harrison: There are a lot of things in life that being me joy. I think you have to surround yourself with joy to be the best self you can, so I try to make the best out of any situation.
For me, some of the top things that bring me joy are my faith, my family, my friends, and my career. My faith, family, and friends are there for me in the good times and in the bad. They know me, love me, and always help to bring out the best in me. There's true joy in knowing that you have people you can turn to no matter what. And with that support, it allows me to get joy out of my career.
I love working hard at my craft and challenging myself with the goals that my coach and I set for myself. The fact that I can also inspire people while doing what I love is what makes my career worthwhile.
PS: What was the happiest moment of your athletic career?
KH: The happiest moment in my athletic career was when I broke the World Record in the 100m hurdles. I had been having an amazing season, winning races and setting records, and the Olympic trials were supposed to be another opportunity to demonstrate my fitness level.
Instead, I finished sixth and didn't even make the US team. I was devastated and wasn't sure I even wanted to try to race again. But at the encouragement of my coach and friends, I went to London and lined up at the starting line. In the final when I crossed the line first, I was a little disappointed in the time, but I was mostly relieved just to have won the race. Then when I turned around and saw my corrected time and realised I had broken the world record, I was so proud and excited that I just broke down crying right on the track.
To go from one of the worst moments of my career to the high of a world record only two weeks later — that's a level of happiness that's hard to even describe. I proved to myself that I had the courage to persevere and climb up, even when I had hit bottom.
PS: What is your happiest memory outside of your athletic achievements?
KH: One of my happiest moments outside of my athletic achievements was when I bought my first house. I went to school in Kentucky and stayed there to train with my coach after I graduated. When my coach transferred to Texas, I followed him to Austin. By this point, I had started to establish myself in my career. I had grown a lot both personally and professionally, and I was finally ready to put down some roots.
I found the perfect house, and I was able to buy my first home. It's pretty exciting to be able to do that at just 25 years old. I got to decorate and furnish the house to fit me, and getting to come back to my own place every day reminds me of how fortunate and blessed I've been in life.