Kendall Ellis Rides Porta Potty Mishap To A Deal With A Toilet Paper Company, And A Trip To Olympics

Saint-Denis, France — the American 400-meter champion Kendall Ellis has had plenty of opportunities this summer.

Track aficionados may recall Ellis as the runner who became caught in a port-a-potty during the U.S. track trials. She banged on the door for 10 minutes, trying to get someone’s attention, frightened that her Olympic aspirations were fading.

Ellis | Min Media

Kendall Ellis Rides Porta Potty Mishap To A Deal With A Toilet Paper Company, And A Trip To Olympics

Help has finally arrived.

Kendall won the semifinals, the final, and the Olympic trip that came with it.

Soon after, she signed a new sponsorship agreement with Charmin, a toilet paper manufacturer.

“It was just the perfect fit,” Kendall explained.

Before we dismiss all of this commercial promotion, let us consider the reality of what it takes for someone like Ellis to make a living from running track.

She is 28 years old and works in a world where only the top earn millions. According to a 2023 United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee study, 82% of the 475 athletes polled earned less than $100,000 a year.

Before the porta-potty, Ellis’ best chance of making the U.S. team rested on her extensive track record as a reliable relay performer. Three years earlier, she helped the women’s 4×400 team win gold, and the mixed relay team take bronze in Tokyo.

She’ll compete for her medal in the women’s 400 this time. Whatever happens, she still has the sponsorship arrangement to fall back on. After almost losing her Olympic ambitions, she has made an impressive recovery.

“It was terrifying,” Kendall explained. I do not like small spaces. Being stuck in one is one of my biggest worries. There are elevators, porta-potties, and a water slide.”

She claimed she was in there for “10 good minutes.” She didn’t have her mobile.

“I didn’t start panicking until I got to minute 5,” she informed me. I was like, ‘OK, I’ll have to call for help.'” I had to shout for help inside a port-a-potty, no matter how embarrassing it was.

A helpful employee at the practice track heard the banging and screams for assistance and walked over to unlock the door.

Ellis

Kendall Rides Porta Potty Mishap To A Deal With A Toilet Paper Company, And A Trip To Olympics

What followed was a typical example of moving from the outhouse to the penthouse.

Ellis set a personal best in the semifinals (49.81 seconds) and repeated it in the finals (49.46).

“I was like, ‘It’s OK, it means something great’s about to happen,'” Ellis said of her thoughts while hammering on the door. “And then I just hoped I got rescued in time to make something great happen.”

SOURCE | AP News