I'm a fighter in the true sense. When I started training in judo at six, I never dreamed I’d be the first American ever to win an Olympic gold medal in the sport, which I earned in both 2012 and 2016 through unyielding grit, focus, and resilience. Yet my competitive success masked an unimaginable personal struggle. At the age of 16, I revealed to the world that I had been sexually abused by my coach for years. It’s become my personal mission to shine a light on the darkness of this physical and psychological trauma.

In 2013, I created the Fearless Foundation to enrich the lives of survivors firstly through education that empowers people who are victims to come forward and seek help and secondly through health and wellness to build both physical and emotional strength. Now retired from competing in judo, I am a mixed martial artist with the Professional Fighters League and a 2x PFL World Champion, holding 2 back-to-back titles.