I didn't raise my daughter to become an Olympic champion, but she did. I raised her to handle failure.

The author's daughter won Olympic gold in triathlon.

Courtesy of the author

People ask how I raised an Olympic champion. They expect stories about hiring private coaches, driving to competitions across the country, and arranging my life around the sport she loved.But the goal, for my husband and me, was to raise a happy, well-rounded, capable daughter with the good judgment to choose a career she loved. Raising an Olympic champion never crossed our minds.In school, she really loved swimmingIn elementary school, Gwen excelled on her hometown swim team, and sometimes she stood on the podium. Her life revolved around evening swim practices, Saturday competitions, and time with her swim friends.

The author's daughter really loved swimming.

Courtesy of the author