Tell us who your sporting hero is and why!

Alison dos Santos or 'Piu' as he is popularly referred, is a Brazilian track and field athlete who focuses on the 400m hurdles. The history of his journey to global sporting stardom is one laced with hard work, immeasurable skill, and optimism. Piu is among the best in the sport after winning the 400m hurdles title at the World Athletics Championships held in Eugene, Oregon in 2022, making him the first Brazilian to achieve this feat. Disappointment-plagued, or more specifically resignation-deep Tokyo, waited with an Olympic Bronze which was hard earned in the middle of the lethal competition of Karsten Warholm and Rai Benjamin. Himself scared in 46.29 seconds, Alison a South American record holder also sits on the bench of the fastest hurdlers ever alongside proving himself supreme on the oval track.

The backbone of Piu’s breakthrough is his extraordinary will power combined with a fighting spirit. At just the tender age of ten months, an awful domestic accident left him with devastating burns and deep scars that he wears as a medal of honor against the odds. Born in a modest family in São Joaquim da Barra, São Paulo, Alison learned the virtues of hard work and focus which took him from being a local performer to an international star. Ao Li’s upward movement also encountered some difficulties; for example, injuries only strengthened his desire to return to the competition, which is called resilience in everyday life on the track and beyond.

Apart from his excellent sporting records, Alison is admired for the causes that he believes in and for the motivation he is able to bestow on people. A valid ambassador of Brazil he vision encourages even the very young who want to play sports to citizens of less socially favored regions, and even more always to such uncertain backgrounds. Piu, renowned for his cheerful countenance and incessant joy, advocates for determination, equilibrium and mental wellness owing to the fact that he understands the kind of treatment meted out to practitioners in gambling sport and other competitive games. The moniker, “Piu”, is a derivative of the Brazilian animated character whom he admired greatly, and it shows his playful personality and easiness, which makes him loved by the audience everywhere.

The love for the game instills the family values in him and the ability for Brazil to overcome hurdles in athletics, and Alison gives every race her heart and happiness. It is in his performance that he depicts moments of his brilliant skill and at the same time motivates so many others with their own problems to work hard and hold on to the faith in themselves. Now Piu is remembered as a cultural protagonist, not only a hero for his nation, Brazil, and sports fans but a charismatic and resilient athlete regarded with affection by many across the world. His legacy is consistently enhancing, not just as an athlete who rendered incredible performances on the track, his image as a persona aiming high and crossing all possible barriers allows every person to relate with him.

Mike Tyson for fighting into his later years a true icon and inspiration

For me, I’m going to stay close to home and choose Gareth Bale.

Starting out as a decent left back at Southampton before imposing himself as a true talent when he signed for Spurs.

As he developed at Spurs and adopted a role at left midfield, his game truly started to evolve. From a skinny teenager to a physically impressive athlete, he started to reshape what it meant to be an elite winger in the premier league.

Blistering pace, excellent on the ball and with a developing dead ball prowess, he turned into one of the premier league’s most formidable players, regularly turning defenders inside out and crafting chances for his team-mates.

It was his stand-out performances, and ability to make Maicon look an absolute mug, in the Champions League group stage that truly lifted him to elite status. After a season for Spurs where he was practically unplayable, he set his sights on the Galacticos and became the first Welshman to don the famous white kit of Real Madrid.

During his time at Madrid, he became polarising to the fans, despite scoring some incredible goals and assists. He always remained second fiddle to CR7, who was at the top of the world game at this stage.

His Champions League winning goals, Copa Del Ray winning goals and vital goals in the big games helped Real Madrid secure unprecedented success and own the most formidable and punishing attacking line ups every seen.

However, it is for Wales that Gareth Bale truly won the hearts of fans. His country was always his main focus and, being at the top of his game, secured them qualification for their first Euros tournament in decades. His performances in Euro 2016 helped guide the team to the Semi Finals, far exceeding any expectations people could have of Wales and putting Wales on the map again as a serious footballing nation.

He inspired new generations of players and boosted the reputation of the game in Wales, not just through his own personal success but also the success he helped create as part of a tightly knit Welsh team. It’s this level of talent, this level of commitment to his country and this progress he helped steer for the national game that makes him my sporting icon.

Lance Armstrong

Life hasn’t been easy for Lance Armstrong. His first major challenge came in the 1990s when he battled cancer. With doctors giving him almost no chance of survival, he managed to overcome the disease and, as soon as he recovered, returned to racing. During this time, he also founded the Livestrong Foundation to support others fighting cancer.

The next challenge came with the revelation that he had used doping during his races. This scandal led to him losing all his titles, facing numerous lawsuits, and becoming a controversial figure in sports history. The movie The Program offers a detailed perspective on his story and the behind-the-scenes of professional cycling in the early 2000s.

Despite everything, Armstrong endured these setbacks, made a public confession, and continued to live his life. To me, his ability to withstand such immense challenges is an undeniable example of resilience and strength.

David Beckham is my sporting hero. He’s not just a football legend, but someone who has consistently impressed both on and off the pitch. During his career, he played for some of the world’s best teams like Manchester United, Real Madrid, and even LA Galaxy, winning tons of trophies, including six Premier League titles and a Champions League medal.

What stands out most to me is his skill with free-kicks—he could bend the ball in ways that left goalkeepers baffled! Plus, as England’s captain, he always led by example.

Beyond football, Beckham’s a genuinely good person. He’s done a lot of charity work, especially with UNICEF, helping kids around the world.

I look up to him not just for his football talents but for his hard work, leadership, and kindness.