The Summer Olympics are approaching and Jadel Gregorio will be there, competing for Brazil in the triple jump, for his third and final time. With his massive collection of medals and trophies, some may think that Gregorio has reached his potential, his wish list has been accomplished, and his dreams have come true. But in his precious free time Gregorio is actively pursuing the start of his next dream, which is helping children get out of poverty through track and field. He is starting the Jadel Gregorio Foundation, which will provide after school track and field programs to kids in need, in San Diego County. He plans to relocate here after competing in Rio.
“I love San Diego,” Gregorio said. “My wife and three children love San Diego, too. It is the perfect place for us. I can run and jump outside 12 months of the year, how could I not love this place?” Last week, Gregorio visited Barnard Elementary in Pacific Beach to tell kids how they, too, can overcome their obstacles. “If I can be great, you can be great. Let’s try together,” he said. He led the students in track and field exercises and smiled for photos with the teachers and kids. “Sometimes children need only one person to show them the way to a successful life. I want to be that person,” he added.
San Diego is a distant cry from the desperate slums of Sao Paulo, Brazil, known as the favela, where Gregorio spent his early years. Raised by a single mom, his family often had no money for food, let alone shoes. His mom worked three jobs to provide for her two children but often ran short. At an early age, Gregorio started getting in trouble. One day, he was being bullied by a classmate who ran away after calling him names. “The boy was 100 meters away from me, but I started running. He was running his top speed but I caught him pretty quickly so I could fight with him. My teacher came to break it up. After, she pulled me aside and said, ‘Jadel, I’d like you to meet someone.’ She introduced me to my first coach. Most of my friends from the favela are either dead or in prison now. My teacher saved my life,” he said.
Gregorio wants to help San Diego kids the way he was helped. To spread the word about his new foundation, Gregorio will be visiting other San Diego schools and speaking to students, telling them his life story. “When I was young like you, I had no shoes. Now I am sponsored by Nike. Shoes are no longer a problem for me,” he told the kids at Barnard. “Anything is possible. Don’t let your life define you. You define your life.”
To have Jadel speak at your school or event, contact his manager Stefen Thompson at [email protected].