Mariske Strauss is one of South Africa’s most decorated mountain bikers, having represented the national team over 12 times. She has also been the African champion; the national champion and she represented South Africa at two Commonwealth Games. With numerous wins under her belt, Mariske is skilled at performing in high stress situations whether in a team set up, or self-directed.

On the podcast, Mariske and I take a look at her journey with mountain biking, and how she fell in love with a sport she has competed in for over two decades. Her journey in mountain biking has been about dreaming, believing and acceptance, all truths she unpacks on the show. We also speak about faith and her spiritual life, which has played the most significant role in helping her navigate the hard times. Speaking about hard times, Mariske shares about the diagnosis that shook her world just 18 months ago when she went from being a top athlete to a diagnosis of myocarditis, pericarditis and cystitis. We speak about sponsorships and how her sponsors stayed by her side during her recovery journey and her recent pregnancy and she shares her future dreams, her health update and the joy of being a new mom.

The post Mariske Strauss – Conquering the Trails of Life first appeared on She Speaks Sport.