SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) -- Rower Kara Kohler punched her ticket to Paris on Sunday in Sarasota. She will be representing the United States in the Olympics for the third time in her athletic career (2012, 2020, and 2024).
Kholer says her parents are the most influential people in her life, and to have her mom here watching her meant everything.
"They've stood by me through all my pursuits, athletic, and whatever else I've been doing. And, you know, the athletic one is obviously stuck. The most of any of them," said Kohler.
The 2019 USRowing Female Athlete of the Year finished Sunday’s single sculls final, making her second consecutive Olympics in the event.
"It just never gets old. It just, I haven't slept since 2 a.m. just thinking about this," said Kohler's mother, Caryl Kohler. "I'm just so proud knowing how hard she's worked for this and how grueling it is. And this is the icing on the cake for all the hard work that she's put in."
"Just to give this to them. Always being there is just special. It's simple. It's special. It's been a dream since I was very little, so I'm blessed to be able to keep doing it. Trust yourself. Trust your path process. You have the skills, you know, look to other people for inspiration. I have a lot of incredibly strong women that I get to train with every day. So learn from them boost each other up. It makes it a hell of a lot more fun," said Kohler.
It's been over a decade since she won her last Olympic medal, bringing home the bronze medal. However, she hopes to change that in Paris.