"I constantly felt pressure and stress to where I would go home and cry. Sometime I look up and think if this is worth it. It definitely changed me as a person," said Taormina.

Taormina mentioned Eric Liddell, the iconic Scottish runner, as "the one athlete in all of history" that she wants to emulate in her athletic career. It is apparent that she drew great mental power and inspirations from this legendary Olympic champion who never faltered in face of adversity.

Her persistence and hard work eventually paid off after about one year, when sponsors watched her complete a round of horseback ride smoothly. "My former sponsors of triathlon all came on board," said Taormina. Included in the first sponsors was leading swimwear producer Speedo.

Having struggled through financial stress and injuries herself, Taormina said she was impressed by Chinese people's resilience and optimism after the Sichuan earthquake. She sees true Olympic spirit in Chinese people who gracefully host the world's biggest sporting event while they are recovering from the tragedy.

"We walked out of the opening ceremony, there were Chinese people on the street clapping and dancing. I don't know if every one of this people speaks English, but they all learned the phrase 'welcome to Beijing.' I had tears in my eyes just seeing the people are beautiful and the country understanding the Olympic spirit. They are truly welcoming the world to China.," said Taormina.

When asked to pick her favorite Chinese athlete, Taormina said without hesitation. "My favorite Chinese star would be the Chinese people. […] Every single volunteer, when you walk into the dining hall, they are smiling at you. They are my heroes."