“That felt good. It is definitely something that I have been wanting for a long time. I’m still in a little bit of a shock, but it has become a reality that I am the gold medalist and it feels really good,” she said, on winning the 2016 Olympic gold medal in the shot put.
Each day, Carter is motivated simply by doing her best. “It definitely drives me every day to work hard just to see how far I can throw that shot put,” she said.
For aspiring athletes who wish to pursue shot put, she said, “You have to work your butt off. Hard work, hard work, hard work. There is no way around it. There are no shortcuts. Sometimes, it takes longer than you think it should. Also, never give up, since you may be one throw away or a few workouts away from something really great.”
On the origin of her nickname “Shot Diva,” she said, “It was a name I started calling myself in college. I was the only thrower on the team, everybody else would call themselves ‘track divas,’ and I couldn’t call myself ‘track diva,’ so I came up with ‘shot diva’ and it stuck.”
Carter thoroughly enjoys doing what she does. “I am a motivational speaker, I do make-up and I do private lessons. I am working on my non-profit camp, You Throw Girl, which helps female athletes that are struggling with confidence. We talk about all subjects such as hygiene, eating, dieting and why your body needs muscle, and how to take care of yourself as a female athlete,” she said.
Regarding her plans for the future, Carter said, “I am still training and I’m not planning on retiring any time soon. I am speaking and I am really enjoying that. I am constantly working on a couple of beauty products.”
For her fans, she said, “Thank you for all of the love and support. It has been great over the years. My fans have definitely stuck by me through thick and thin, and I really appreciate it.”
The shot put queen defined the word success as “Being the best that you can be, because everybody’s definition of success is different. We all have different gifts, talents and abilities. As long as you are being the best that you can be, then you are successful,” she concluded.
To learn more about the “Shot Diva” herself, check out her official website and follow her on Twitter.
