It’s been a whirlwind summer for Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman. After taking home three medals for the United States during the 2016 Rio Games, the gymnast is still on a hectic schedule with all eyes on her.
Raisman, who’s been a Reebok-sponsored athlete since 2013, was on set with the brand and Finish Line for the retailer’s latest campaign, #WeAreMore, on Sept. 13 in New York City. There, she talked with Footwear News on how she stays positive and how she continues to be an inspiration to fans across the globe.
Raisman said, “The most important thing for girls, and for everyone in general, is you have to find your way to be confident in yourself.
“For me, what I like to do is pick out things I like about myself in the morning. You have two ways you can start your day — pick yourself apart or tell yourself you look good. I think that’s important. Obviously I have insecurities just like everyone else, but as long as you’re happy and you feel good, that’s all that matters.”
She added, “Not to focus so much on the social media aspect of what other people are saying and just to be happy with who you are.”
When it comes to prepping for a major campaign, Raisman says she does what she normally does — exercise. “I really enjoy working out. Since I finished competing, I’ve been really busy, but I’ve been doing other workouts such as boxing, which I’m going to do on set.”
Being a Reebok athlete is a good fit for Raisman.
“Their headquarters are literally 20 minutes from my house, so it’s really perfect,” she said. “Growing up with Reebok being a local company, I was always a big fan of the brand. Same with my dad growing up. He used to wear those pump sneakers, and now they’ve come up with new ones, so it’s really cool. They are all about empowering women, and I really enjoy that.”
The#WeAreMore initiative represents Finish Line’s commitment to the female consumer, according to Alyssa Smith, vice president, DMM women’s & kids footwear at Finish Line.
“Aly Raisman representing Reebok for Finish Line embodies the spirit of #WeAreMore. She is an athlete, she has style and celebrates her many accomplishments with peers and people all over the world,” said Smith. “The Finish Line female consumer wears athletic sneakers for style, she wears them for sport and shares the highlights of her life with her friends and peers, similar to Aly. It’s an authentic connection that will strike a chord with our female customer letting her know we [understand] her.”
While in New York, Raisman had a chance to attend New York Fashion Week and made an appearance at Jeremy Scott’s spring ’17 show on Sept. 12. She said, “When I’m getting dressed up, I do like heels or ankle booties. For the past year, I was in workout clothes all the time, so it’s fun to get dressed up. I just have to get used wearing heels again.”
Next up, Raisman will embark on Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions, which runs through November.
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