The road to 2024 Paris Olympics is gaining traction and Team USA has already announced several names who would represent the country on the big stage. For 2-time Olympian Ashleigh Johnson, carrying the country’s flag is a matter of pride that adds to the pressure on performing alongside star swimmers from around the world. Ashleigh is the first woman of color to secure a spot in the U.S. Olympic water polo team.

However, the journey hasn’t been easy, and Ashleigh isn’t one to forget the difficult times. In a recent social media post, the Olympic gold medalist can be heard talking about how she rose above the challenges to reach her current position and what a wild ride it has been so far.

2024 Paris Olympics water polo team star unveils past difficulties

Ahead of the Paris Olympics, Ashleigh and a few of her Team USA colleagues met up to talk about how they’ve been preparing for the grand showdown. Among them, Ashleigh took center stage with Black History Month being under the spotlight in recent weeks. “2x Olympic gold medalist @theAshJohnson reflects on leading with her skin“, reads the caption of the post that’s accompanied by Ashleigh’s words on how she has prioritized her skin color to forge her identity in relatively hostile surroundings.

“Learning to take care of myself, learning to take care of my skin, learning to celebrate my difference….knowing it makes me beautiful and finding the beauty in it“, said Ashleigh in the short video clip. The three-time World Championships gold medalist also said that feeling comfortable in her own skin has worked wonders for her self-confidence and made her become a better athlete as well.

Ashleigh Johnson went on to reveal that she had to face adverse comments and opinions as a child, but she learned how to overcome those adversities to make sure her identity and skin defined who she really was. “No matter what I thought when I was younger, no matter what people told me….it really makes me powerful“, she set the records straight. And it looks like Ashleigh’s dreams of making Olympic history aren’t unfounded, considering how her team is gearing up for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Women’s water polo team on the brink of history

Team USA’s women’s water polo squad has won three consecutive gold medals in the last three Olympic Games and is eyeing to repeat the feat yet again. If they manage to do so, they will crush a record that has been standing tall for more than a century. For head coach Adam Krikorian, the possibilities aren’t small by any means, and he’s determined to help his team achieve the milestone in Paris later this year.

Read more: Paris Olympics 2024 Update: Despite Stellar Performance, Senior Member of USA Rivals Shocked as Last Qualification Hangs in the Balance

With players like Ashleigh being resolute in their attempts to seize the day, it waits to be seen if the USAWP manages to re-write history books, or if their engine runs out of steam before that.

Watch this story: Top 5 Game-Changing Moments for USA at Summer Olympics