Canadian 800m Olympic runner Melissa Bishop-Nriagu with daughter Corinne.

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For many elite athletes, greatness is measured by victories in their sport: medals, world records and first-place finishes. But Canadian 800m-runner Melissa Bishop-Nriagu has learned that being great on the world stage is a product of off-the-track goodness and positivity. ?Those two words help bring me back to where I am and what I do,? she says. ?Being positive and thinking about how much goodness I have in my life outside of my career helps me be the best athlete.?
A veteran of both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, 32-year-old Bishop-Nriagu is hopeful to once again lace up for Canada at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The wife and mother (to two-year-old Corrine) has dealt with challenges in her competitive career in the past, including narrowly missing out on a podium finish in Rio, and feels those experiences have empowered her with valuable insights and resilience, which she hopes can motivate others. ?In the past four years I?ve gone through many ups and downs,? she explains. ?I navigated the path?bumps and all?and found a balance and perspective along the way that only lived experience, along with the right support team of friends and family, can provide. Knowing others out there?especially moms and moms-to-be?are trying to balance work and life and dealing with the unknown, I?m focused on sharing my experience and learning to help encourage and inspire [them]. It?s not always a...