A complex knee surgery in January this year nearly ended Anna Hall’s Olympic dream. But that only made her want it even more. She had faced a similar outcome at the historic Hayward Field during the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials. To her dismay, a broken foot kept her out of contention. However, on June 24th, the Colorado native sprinted to victory on the same track where she faltered three years ago. She had finally qualified for her first Olympic berth at the French capital.

She stepped onto the track with a daunting task at hand. But as the 23-year-old blazed past the finish line, the crowds in the stands could see all her adversities melt away. With an impressive score of 6,614 points, Hall had successfully claimed her third U.S. heptathlon title. However, her journey to the top was a strenuous uphill battle. Riddled with self-doubt and wounds from the past, the heptathlete claims that she had a lot at stake.

Anna Hall’s internal struggles leading up to the Olympic trials

The months leading up to the Olympic Trials seemed excruciatingly long for Anna Hall. Rehab and practice almost seemed unbearable for her. “It was like, ‘OK, can I get through the warm-up? Can I try this hurdle drill?’, It was like, ‘OK, can I get through the warm-up? Can I try this hurdle drill?’,” the heptathlete confesses to Denver Post. She recalls how this constant loop felt like a never-ending battle. “And so it was like every single thing I was doing all day was like I was at war.” Feeling torn by her internal struggle was almost exhausting for Hall.

The 23-year-old recalls wanting to step away from the sport for good. “I mean, it was definitely a difficult time. I think just fighting the mental battles, every single day, just wore on me.” The thought of making a triumphant comeback plagued her mind, but her confidence and body hadn’t caught up with her thoughts just yet. “I was exhausted every single time I went home. Every day felt like a marathon.” But this didn’t sway the world’s No. 1 ranked heptathlete.

Anna Hall would fall asleep shattered but rise like a phoenix from the ashes every day. “And then it was like, ‘Wake up and do it again tomorrow.’” However, the feeling of getting nowhere didn’t escape her mind. “It just kind of felt like there was no end in sight. But luckily I have really great people around me that I was able to lean on.” When she clinched gold on that fateful Monday at Hayward Field, her first instinct was to lay on the track and let out a cathartic cry.

The heptathlete then found her way to the stands to celebrate with her support system and fans. She even posted a few images on Instagram after the adrenaline wore off. “life update!!! IM GOING TO THE OLYMPICS,” the post highlighted how her adversities helped her grow and achieve a goal she has always had. Hall even posted BTS footage from the trials, thanking everyone who helped her get to this point. Her Olympic dream truly was only delayed and never denied.

An unexpected milestone almost ended it all

On 29th January, Anna Hall announced that she had undergone a minor knee procedure. She had injured her PCL but was unsure of when this could have happened. The heptathlete reassured her fans that she was on the mend, but she would require 16 months to recover from the surgery. Even though she claimed she would be back on the track in a bit, she would have to miss the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow.

However, the 2022 World Athletics Championships bronze medalist was optimistic. “It breaks my heart to be passing on the indoor world championships next month, but this was something we needed to do now in order to focus on the olympics 🤞🏽” She gives a shoutout to the clinic and her support system stating how she will overcome this with their help. She ends the heartfelt note with, “My heart is hungry to compete again, when it makes sense. the dream is very much alive❤️‍🔥see you guys outdoors !! xx” Staying true to her promise, she did exactly that at the Olympic Trials in Eugene.

In just 4 days, the Opening Ceremony will commence on the Seine River. But Anna Hall won’t be gracing our screens until August 1st, when the Track and Field events begin at Stade de France. Even though she has finally made her way to the Summer Games, will she walk away with a shiny Olympic gold to her name? We will soon find out!