My favorite Team USA athlete is Megan Maher, a cyclist for Team Novo Nordisk who lives with type 1 diabetes, just like me. I take great inspiration from Megan, as she is someone who defies her disadvantages to perform on a world stage with pride. As a matriculating medical student and someone who has recently begun to cycle, I’m grateful to have a role model like her. Since hanging up my soccer cleats, I’ve started training for my first Half Ironman. Managing type 1 diabetes during long rides requires careful preparation, real-time adjustments, and a deep understanding of how my body responds to exertion. It’s a constant balancing act between pushing my limits and staying safe. Watching Megan do this professionally while representing the U.S. with the same condition, is incredibly inspiring. She makes it clear that diabetes doesn’t mean sitting on the sidelines like one of my soccer coaches told me I’d have to spend my career doing. It just means playing smarter. People like Megan are the reason why I challenge myself continuously. As if getting admitted to medical school wasn’t enough of a task, I took on a role living abroad at a university in Morocco where I helped graduating seniors find jobs and match into their desired careers. I also decided to launch my own venture, which will hopefully improve healthcare accessibility and knowledge for the general public. I am excited to pair this venture with a degree that will allow me to be an inspiration for people the same way Megan inspired me. For me, Megan Maher isn’t just a cyclist. She’s a symbol of resilience, balance, and goodness. As someone heading into medical school with lofty goals, I am proud to have an idol like her. She’s shown that success in sport and in health doesn’t come from pretending the challenges don’t exist, but from embracing them and pushing forward anyway. Every time I clip into my bike, walk into a patient’s room during shadow, or read about new research, I think of people like Megan. She’s riding for something bigger than a finish line, just like me.

I’ve never been one to idolize athletes. As someone with type 1 diabetes, my focus has always been on optimizing my own biology: balancing insulin, food, exercise, and stress like I’m a symphony orchestrator. But when I watch LeBron James, I see more than an athlete. I see a system in perfect sync: longevity, performance, reinvention. He’s continually redefined what’s possible with the human body and mind. Is LeBron James the greatest basketball player of all time? Yes. Statistically, he’s a record-breaker. Socially, he’s influenced the game for decades. And biologically? He’s untouchable. The fact that he’s still performing at elite levels two decades into his career defies the expected athletic arc. While others peak and fade, LeBron evolves. His investment in his health, isn’t just a headline, it’s supports everything I’ve aimed to accomplish up to this point. My career as I enter medical school has revolved around how data, discipline, and personalized care can turn genetics into greatness. What also makes LeBron my number one is that he’s managed to stay culturally relevant beyond just the box score. He’s a living part of internet culture. “LeMeme” moments that flood social media make him accessible and relatable to younger generations. This is something important for me to emulate as a future doctor. He’s someone kids can laugh with, look up to, and learn from. That balance between inspiration and relatability is rare, and it’s exactly why his influence extends to people like me. LeBron inspires me because he doesn’t just rise above challenges—he studies them, adapts, and returns stronger. As a future physician who has invested in himself, I look at him as a blueprint. He’s shown that excellence takes time to achieve and retain. That’s something worth aspiring to—on or off the court.