Tiombé, a 2004 Olympian and American record holder in the women’s triple jump, also has a BBA from James Madison University and an MBA from Howard University. She is considered a role model for these and other accomplishments such as dealing with an ongoing vision impairment. Born legally blind due to a degenerative retinal condition, Tiombé now relies on special corrective lenses to lead a normal lifestyle. Tiombe’s experiences in the track field world as well as her health-related issues will be one of the topics of her presentation, demonstrating how she overcame the odds in education, sports and life to achieve such great heights. Tiombé will join two other elite athletes on Friday at the “Be A Champion” event., which provides the platform for individuals like her to tell their stories and inspire others to greatness. The three will spend the rest of the weekend competing at the AT&T USA Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center in Boston.

“I just want to demonstrate to others that anything is possible with hard work and dedication,” says Tiombé when asked about her presentation. “Everyone faces obstacles when trying to achieve something extraordinary. But things can be so much easier when you lead a healthy lifestyle, set goals and live with integrity. Today’s generation of kids do not play outdoors as much; they instead entertain themselves with computer-generated games and television. The obesity rate is rising and I think we need to emphasize the importance of being physically active. Introducing children to sports is a great way to teach them to become physically active, learn team-building skills and demonstrate integrity. When I first started competing professionally it was difficult to juggle both a full-time job and my school