Sirivanh Kettavong

Theodore Roosevelt once said, “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred with sweat, dust and blood.” A hero is the person that tries to overcome or solve a problem. A hero is admired for trying as hard as they can to help other people. Caring, compassion and honesty are qualities that heroes have. Sirivanh Kettavong from Laos is considered a hero for marathon running.

Sirivanh Ketarong is a marathon runner who was born in Laos. Laos is one of the least successful nations ever to complete a marathon in the Olympics. The small Asian country is one of the ten poorest countries in the world. For every $1 Laos spends on a sports program other countries spend much more. For those Laotian athletes who enter the Olympics, there is little hope to win but a lot of enthusiasm.

Sirivanh Kettavong was very poor, so poor that she had nowhere to train. For four years Sirivanh wore the same running shoes. When Sirivanh ran in the Olympics, she thought that the stadium would be closed when she got to the finish line. Sirivanh Ketarong thought that she wasn’t going to finish, but she was thrilled that the fans cheered her on. She came in 64 out of 66 people.

Sirivanh Kettavong has perseverance. She never gave up and she knew that she wasn’t going to win and she did not care if she came in dead last when she was running in the marathon. She just wanted to finish. She had self-confidence and courage because she knew that there were other runners and also knew that she wasn’t going to win. Sirivanh is an inspiration because she is very determined and believes in her values.

In conclusion, a hero is a role model that does good deeds. A hero tries to overcome or solve a problem. A marathon runner, Sirivanh Kettavong, is considered a hero in Laos for her athletic accomplishments. She is a hero because she gave it her all and now is considered a winner.