E131 Cheryl Toussaint: From Borrowing Sneakers to Building Olympians

Growing up in Brooklyn with modest means, Cheryl Toussaint knows first-hand how sports can change the direction of one’s life. After discovering a local track meet by chance at age 12, she ran her first race in a pair of borrowed sneakers and went on to earn the silver medal in the 1972 Olympic Games, even after an early mishap forced her to run with only one shoe! Now, Cheryl has turned her lifelong passion for running (she remains active today, even in her 70’s) and the lessons she learned about courage and perseverance into an ongoing personal mission to empower generations of athletes -- past, present, and future -- to achieve athletic and academic success through theColgate Women's Games.Preparations are underway to celebrate its milestone 50th season next year. And it was a pleasure to speak with Cheryl about her remarkable journey, the legacy of the program, and how organized sports can shape lives.Photo credit: DeSean McClinton-Holland