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Bianca Belair is a fan-favorite WWE Superstar, and for good reason. Although it looks like she was made to be a wrestler, that wasn't always the case.
Belair signed with the company in 2016 and after six months, made her in-ring debut against Aliyah on NXT. Fast forward to 2022, she is currently the RAW Women's Champion and has performed in numerous iconic matches. Despite being a gifted superstar, she was first a track athlete.
As a student, Bianca attended Austin-East Magnet High School, where she was a track and field athlete and competed in hurdles. For college, she attended the University of South Carolina and later Texas A&M University. However, she would find success at the University of Tennessee.
During her time at the third university, Bianca Belair was an All-American and All-SEC. In her final season, she was advised by her coaches to pursue a professional career after recording a personal best time. However, she claimed that running had already served its purpose after earning a scholarship to help with her family's expenses.
Belair also spent some time as a CrossFit competitor and powerlifter where she appeared in RX and Rouge magazine. Unfortunately, she had to quit due to shifting rib syndrome, also known as intercostal chondriitis. After this career didn't work out, she became a sales representative in Atlanta.
Bianca Belair didn't dream about becoming a WWE Superstar
The current RAW Women's Champion has proved time and time again how skillful she is inside the ring. However, she planned to use these skills in a different way.
In an interview with WJBF NewsChannel 6, Bianca Belair admitted that she wanted to be an Olympic track athlete or gymnast.
"I never imagined myself as a WWE Superstar, I wanted to be an Olympic track athlete or Olympic gymnast, my role models were ‘Flo-Jo’, Gail Devers, and Dominique Dawes...I never imagined myself being a WWE Superstar, but now I can’t imagine being anything other than a WWE Superstar now."
With her success in the Stamford-based company, it looks like her unexpected detour into professional wrestling was the right track for her.
