3 мин.

Q&A: Monica Puig On Olympic Gold And Giving Back to Puerto Rico

546

Danielle Rossingh , CONTRIBUTOR

After winning Puerto Rico’s first ever Olympic gold medal, Monica Puig was welcomed by a crowd of 500,000 in the capital San Juan.

Now, she is giving something back.

Puig, who was born in Puerto Rico but moved to Florida when she was a baby, will be playing five-time major winner Maria Sharapova in an exhibition event in the capital San Juan on December 15.

Puig’s triumph handed fellow Puerto Ricans a rare reason to celebrate as the US territory struggles with a crippling debt crisis and stagnant economy that has seen many leave the Caribbean island.

Below is an email exchange between FORBES and Puig as she traveled to Doha, Qatar to be crowned Best Female Athlete of the Rio Games by the Association of National Olympic Committees earlier this week.

FORBES: As the tennis season has now come to an end, how do you look back on your Olympic medal?

MONICA PUIG: I have to say that each time I think about it, or I am reminded about winning the Olympic Gold medal, I still get goosebumps and sometimes even have to pinch myself to realize this really happened.

It is such a treasured moment in my life, and I am so happy to have achieved that dream. Not only for myself, but for everyone around me, and especially that it gives me a platform to also use it as a tool to help others.

FORBES: You will hold the Monica Puig Invitational next month in San Juan. Why it is so important for you to bring the sport home to your country?

MONICA PUIG: After I won the gold medal, and realized just what it did with Puerto Rico and the people, I set it as a goal for myself to share what I accomplished in Rio with the people of Puerto Rico as much as I could.

I am very fortunate to be in the position that I am – both in life and as an athlete. I want to bring tennis to Puerto Rico, help grow the sport, and have people enjoy and take pleasure out of this great sport and also for the next generation to be able to learn to play tennis, and use it as a tool to be successful in life.

In addition, I want to bring it to a bigger platform, and have high level, competitive tennis in the island which it hasn’t seen in a long time.

During the event, one of the levels of the stadium is used to invite those from the public housing projects in San Juan, to also give them the chance to experience this event and give them an unforgettable experience. In addition, Maria and I will be hosting a kids clinic on the day of the event as well.

FORBES: Puerto Rico is going through some very tough economic times right now. Billie Jean King has often talked about tennis players being leaders in their own communities. How do you see your new role as Puerto Rico’s most famous person both at home and abroad?

MONICA PUIG: I have read and heard those words from Billie Jean King, and I take them to heart. I know that with what I have accomplished, I’ve become a role model and I take that responsibility seriously I am glad that I’ve been able to bring happiness to the island.

Knowing that during the Olympics, the Island kind of ‘re-united’ and people were, for a short while, able to forget the tough times and celebrate all together, I realized even more than before that I have a responsibility which I do not take lightly and want to use my role, especially at home, to continue to bring happiness and success to Puerto Rico.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/daniellerossingh/2016/11/17/qa-monica-puig-on-olympic-gold-and-giving-back-to-puerto-rico/#3619c87637ec

>

 

logoWTA