Kali Wilding + Emma McDonald. Super impressive young women going BIG in sport and life; and having a ton of fun along the way.
Kali Wilding and Emma McDonald are rad. They are best friends from Hawaii, training together with their eyes on the Olympics. Both are hammer athletes and so much more. These are impressive, fun, inspirational and determined young women who do more in a day than most people do in a month and they do it with awesome headspace and infectious passion. These are great representatives of the US… and of our future.⚡
Time: 0:58
Who's who?
Time: 1:01
The grind of an athlete
Time: 0:58
Olympic hopes
Time: 0:52
The competitive edge of a proper mindset
Mark Schulein and Kali & Emma
00:00 – Exploring successful individuals’ secrets and drive.
9:16 – Started paddling at 16 and focused on regattas.
13:27 – Transitioned to rowing at 16 after trying other sports.
16:57 – Parents met in Taiwan, then moved to Hawaii.
24:22 – Balancing kayaking and rowing required schedule adjustments.
27:43 – Debut racing for Team USA in the Olympics, incredibly exciting!
36:43 – Paused school to focus on sports training.
41:15 – Passionate about neuroscience in academic and athletics.
44:25 – Navigating college social pressures and personal choices.
49:40 – Kayaking is low-impact but still has injury risks.
53:03 – Passionate about rowing and kayaking, pursuing both sports.
58:44 – Tough training, but great supportive community at Newport Aquatic Center (NAC).
1:06:37 – Working towards competing at the Olympics, but daily improvement is important.
1:10:13 – “Water gives me strength and keeps me grounded.”