Ciara MICHEL
Olympian Artist - Photography: Tokyo 2020
Olympic Games:
London 2012
Volleyball
More than an Athlete
Jordan Larson, Sheilla Castro and Tayyiba Haneef-Park are two-time Olympic medallists.
They are exceptional athletes but have many more facets to their personalities.
Every Olympian has a story. Each story starts with talent and becomes a dream, and each protagonist is tested by failure, strengthened through hard work, encouraged by family, and challenged by competition.
Every Olympian has a story that begins long before the Games and will continue long after. And every Olympian is so much more than an athlete.
© Ciara Michel
More than an Athlete
Jordan Larson, Sheilla Castro and Tayyiba Haneef-Park are two-time Olympic medallists.
They are exceptional athletes but have many more facets to their personalities.
Every Olympian has a story. Each story starts with talent and becomes a dream, and each protagonist is tested by failure, strengthened through hard work, encouraged by family, and challenged by competition.
Every Olympian has a story that begins long before the Games and will continue long after. And every Olympian is so much more than an athlete.
© Ciara Michel
More than an Athlete
Jordan Larson, Sheilla Castro and Tayyiba Haneef-Park are two-time Olympic medallists.
They are exceptional athletes but have many more facets to their personalities.
Every Olympian has a story. Each story starts with talent and becomes a dream, and each protagonist is tested by failure, strengthened through hard work, encouraged by family, and challenged by competition.
Every Olympian has a story that begins long before the Games and will continue long after. And every Olympian is so much more than an athlete.
© Ciara Michel
Volleyball player Ciara Michel represented Team Great Britain at the Olympic Games London 2012, and then continued to play professional volleyball for 10 years in Europe.
She was the first British female player to compete in the Champions League, winning a silver medal, after completing her master’s degree in communications at the University of Miami.
She also holds a bachelor's degree in psychology. Michel currently uses photography and videography to highlight female athletes as ‘more than athletes’ on her YouTube channel series ‘The Volley Bubble’.
Q&A
To me, being an Olympian means always carrying myself with pride. No matter the situation in which I find myself, be that on court, in a social setting or in a creative role, I approach obstacles with a beginner's mind. Knowing that I started out as a complete amateur and over the years climbed to the pinnacle of my sport gives me confidence that anything is possible, and with determination I can find a way to make the best of any situation.
Olympic culture to me means mutual respect among athletes for their sacrifice, discipline, and determination. Just as the competitors are more than just athletes, the Olympic Games are more than just a sports competition; they are a celebration of strong values, hard work and international cooperation.
If I could go back in time and give one piece of advice to my younger self, I would tell her she is capable of anything she puts her mind to, so she should just be bold and go after it!
I always felt blessed to build a career out of the sport I love. Now, as I am approaching the end of my athletic career, I hope to build a new career based on passion, combining volleyball and photography/videography. If you love what you do, you will never ‘work’ a day in your life!