They call Kenya’s Julius Yego the “YouTube man,” but he hasn’t made a name for himself by sitting around, watching online videos all day. Instead, this Olympic champion earned the nickname by actually teaching himself how to throw a javelin through YouTube instructional videos. He didn’t have any equipment, either: He fashioned his javelin out of long sticks to follow along with the tutorials. And somehow, without resources or a trainer, he made it all the way to the RIo Olympics. He only got to throw once before injuring himself, but it was enough to earn him a silver medal — he threw the javelin an impressive 88.24 meters.
His story is a reminder that sometimes, your dreams don’t just have to be dreams: With enough work and perseverance, you can turn them into a reality. See more about this inspiring athlete below.