When Becca Hart was growing up, she didn't have the same experience as everyone else her age or almost anyone else growing up.
While other children played sports and took dance lessons, Hart was often on the outside looking in, having been born with familial spastic paraplegia, an inherited condition that weakens his legs.
“You're going to be like everyone else. But the world is quick to tell you that's not the case. And that made me very angry,” Hart told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
But one day he got on a horse. And almost 25 years later, he won the Paralympic gold medal.
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Becca Hart poses with her three gold medals from Paris. (Mercury LLC)
Hart says she “struggled with my disability as a child” as the “magic” of enjoying childhood had all but disappeared. However, that was until he rode a horse for the first time.
“But I was a horse-crazy kid and something clicked in my brain. This horse doesn't care if my legs don't work, they'll do whatever I need them to do. It was this lightbulb moment, and suddenly, I could take “All the anger I felt and turning it into a passion for horses and sport, and that was the catalyst for my obsession with horses and competition that has spanned over 25 years.”
Hart first participated in the Beijing Paralympic Games in 2008, and ultimately had to wait until last summer to win gold; She is the captain of the United States Equestrian Dressage Team.
But although he doesn't compete, Hart has worked at Starbucks since the year he made his Paralympic debut. But the company has become much more than just your workplace.
“Starbucks has been a big part of my journey since before I was on the international scene. I was a working student trying to make my entry into international performance. I needed a job and Starbucks was there.
Becca Hart competes in Paris. (Mercury LLC)
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“My manager knew I was doing 'professional sports' and said, 'Why don't you check out this elite athlete program? It might be something useful for you.' I looked into it and they've been one of my biggest corporate sponsors for the past few years. last 16 years. Having the flexibility to travel the world, keep my job and have the financial backing to support me has been extremely important in achieving triple gold this year.”
Hart jokes that the 3 a.m. alarm clock going off to work shortly after winning gold was a blow to returning to real life, but when she returned to work, she received a champion's welcome.
“They decked out the store with gold, everything, streamers, sparklers, balloons. And the whole community came in at the end of my shift, the whole fire department, the sheriff's department, the mayor, my friends, customers, they all came in, and “We had a great time,” he said.
Hart admitted that there were times when he had to avoid getting distracted while competing.
“When I look to my right, there is the [Château Versailles]the gardens, the promenade, and I say: 'Concentrate.' Focus.' I had to remind myself to really focus,” Hart said. “I enjoy the pressure. The pressure is a privilege, but it is strict. “I needed a good performance, but I also needed a personal best, which is a lot to ask for in the Olympics, but we were able to achieve it.”
Gold medalist Rebecca Hart of Team USA poses for a photo during the Paris Summer Paralympic Games at the Château de Versailles on September 3, 2024, in France. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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And although he eventually achieves his goal, the best thing about his sport is that it has longevity. Now he wants American riding to become a dynasty and will be in Los Angeles in 2028.
“We worked too hard and for too long. We're getting better, we just put America in the spotlight and I want to stay there, especially at home, in four years.”
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