The World’s Strongest Woman: The Inspiring Story of Shikiri Hightower
In the world of strength sports, there is no shortage of inspiring stories. From personal struggles to triumph over adversity, each athlete has their own unique story to tell. But rarely do these stories come with incredible challenges of their own. Shikiri Hightower had much to overcome before she could compete as a professional strongwoman and win the title of World’s Strongest Woman in 2012 and again in 2017. And while her athletic achievements are impressive on their own, it is her life-long battle against Cystic Fibrosis that makes Shikiri’s story so special. In this article we will go through Shikiri’s life from start to finish: from her early beginnings growing up in rural Pennsylvania, being crowned Miss Teen Pennsylvania pageant in 2006, and competing on the track & field team at Lehigh University – all the way up until becoming one of the top strong women in the world today!
Growing up with Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic Fibrosis is a hereditary disorder of the connective tissues that affects 1 in 3000 people worldwide. The disease is primarily caused by a mutation in the gene that produces the CFTR protein, which is responsible for regulating the transport of salt and water in the lungs. The disease affects people of all ages, but most are diagnosed with the condition in childhood. Symptoms include lung disease, and digestive issues, and also affect the immune system.
Cystic Fibrosis is a chronic condition that can be managed with a combination of medication and lifestyle modifications. And while the prognosis for children diagnosed with the condition used to be very poor – with a life expectancy of around 12 years, things changed with the introduction of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator Gene Therapy in 2017. This therapy is the only FDA-approved gene therapy for a non-cancerous disease and can dramatically improve the quality of life for people with CF.
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Becoming a Strongwoman
Shikiri decided to take part in strongwoman competitions in 2010 after watching the event in action at a local event. Seeing the strength and athleticism was something that she had never seen before and she was instantly drawn to the sport. However, Shikiri’s progression was temporarily stunted by the discovery of an abdominal tumor that required surgery in 2012.
But this setback did not deter Shikiri, who used the time off to focus on her health and fitness. Once she had recovered, Shikiri returned to the sport with even more determination and focus. In 2012, she was invited to compete at the Arnold Strongman Classic and finished in second place – losing out to Great Britain’s Carla Tatlonco. The following year, Shikiri went one better, coming in first place at the Arnold Strongman Classic and winning the title of World’s Strongest Woman. Shikiri has since retained her title, winning again in 2017.
Shikiri Hightower: World’s Strongest Woman
Shikiri’s rise to the top came with a number of hurdles along the way. In her first appearance at the Arnold Strongman Classic, Shikiri faced a grueling competition in which she had to face five different events, including a log press, farmer’s walk, deadlift, yoke walk, and a super yoke walk. These events were designed to push Shikiri to her absolute limits and prove that she was worthy of the title. Shikiri came out on top at the end of the day, earning herself the title of World’s Strongest Woman for the first time. However, her success did not come without a price. During the competition, Shikiri tore her abdominal muscles, leaving her unable to walk for several days.
What’s next?
Since becoming World’s Strongest Woman, Shikiri has made a name for herself on the strength sports scene. She has competed in shows such as Strongman Warriors, Strongman Superhuman, and World’s Strongest Man. And while Shikiri would love to win these events, she considers them to be less important than her title. Shikiri has said in interviews that she doesn’t feel the need to defend her title each year, but would rather let it come naturally. And while we don’t know if Shikiri will defend her title in 2020, we do know that she will continue to train hard and show the world what she is made of.
What is Shikiri Hightower’s age?
Shikiri Hightower is the daughter of Keith and Shawne Hightower. She is also a cousin to NBA player and former Cleveland Cavaliers star Chris Grant. Growing up in a family of prominent athletes, Shikiri developed an interest in fashion at an early age.
She began her career as a stylist while she was still in high school, assisting with photo shoots and fashion shows. Following graduation from UGA in 2014, Shikiri relocated back home to continue working on her craft as well as focusing on launching her own clothing line.
In this article, you will ’s net worth and see the best photos of Shikiri from around the web.
Shikiri Hightower and Keyshawn Johnson’s Relationship
You probably remember Shikiri Hightower from her appearance on the first season of “VENDETTA VENDETTA”. The beautiful, intelligent, and ambitious supermodel turned college student was one of the three new contestants introduced as “newbies” in Episode 1. Viewers were immediately taken with Shikiri, especially when they found out that she was dating Keyshawn Johnson, former wide receiver for the New York Jets and current sports analyst with ESPN.
What is Shikiri Hightower’s net worth?
Shikiri Hightower is a celebrity chef, television host, and author. She is currently the host of Cooking with Greer on FYI Network. Prior to this role, she had appeared as a celebrity judge on MasterChef Junior in seasons five through seven and as a guest judge on season 10 of the competitive cooking show.
Shikiri’s net worth is estimated at $1 million after building her career as an author, chef, and media personality over the last two decades. Let’s explore her life and career further in this article.
Where to follow Shikiri?
If you want to keep up with Shikiri’s strongwoman journey and learn more about her training, diet, and life as a professional athlete, you can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Shikiri also has her own website where you can read more about her story and learn what it takes to be a strong woman. If you are inspired by Shikiri’s story and want to learn how you can get involved with Cystic Fibrosis, you can visit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation website. And with that, we come to the end of our article. We hope you enjoyed reading about Shikiri’s inspiring story and are ready to face your own challenges with the same strength and determination!