Leah Fair transferred from Coastal Carolina to Colorado State University, following a coach at the time, and quickly helped Colorado State University's track team win multiple championships. She's always been fast and strong, and hoped to become an Olympian one day.
After injuring her ankle while training, Leah discovered her strength through weightlifting while recovering. She learned that weightlifting was going to be one of the sports looking for athletes in the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee's talent-identification program, and she took a chance. She signed up.
To her surprise, Leah was the skeleton winner on Season 3 of "Milk Life Presents, the Next Olympic Hopeful." She said she was initially disappointed to not be chosen as the weightlifting winner, but two weeks later she was in Lake Placid, N.Y. for a rookie camp and her dreams as a skeleton hopeful took shape.
Now, Leah is in the USA Bobsled/Skeleton development program as development skeleton athlete. With COVID -19, Leah is home with her family, but she still finds time to work out and keep herself in the best shape possible.
"I love working out," Leah said. "I'm lucky enough to have a space to go and train with COVID 19. All I can to it do my best and work my hardest."
Q&A:
Q: Leah what is your favorite thing to eat?
A: Oh my god, my favorite cheat food is Chinese food! I need to have it at least once a week.
Q: What's something you can clearly remember from your childhood?
A: Something I remember is being 5 years old, sitting in front of the tiny TV in my room by myself, and watching the Olympics. Knowing that one day I wanted to be in the Olympics.
Q: When did you get into sports?
A: When I was younger, I played kickball one day in school and realized to myself that I was really fast. I realized that I had a true talent.
Q: How did it feel to receive praise from Apollo Ohno, when he said "She can fly"?
A: It was incredible and an honor. I found out me and Apollo train in a similar way, so it is cool to know that and believe I will make the Olympics.
Q: How were you exposed to bobsled and skeleton?
A: I knew a lot of track athletes have made the transition before and I loved it because of the speed and the coaches said I had a good body shape for it.
Q: What was it like to win the next Olympic Hopeful?
A: It was a dream come true. One step closer to my dream of becoming an Olympian.