Biggest rival is Kaillie Humphries of Canada, and we are

The words of Elana Meyers—“Biggest rival is Kaillie Humphries of Canada, and we are actually training partners. She was at my wedding, and I consider her a close friend.”—shine with a wisdom that transcends the boundaries of sport. In them, we see that true greatness is not measured by victories alone, but by the ability to honor one’s rival not as an enemy, but as a companion on the same path. To welcome such a rival into the sacred circle of a wedding is to declare that competition need not diminish love, nor friendship.

The paradox of rivals as training partners is as old as history itself. The fiercest contests often forge the strongest bonds, for those who struggle side by side understand each other in ways outsiders cannot. A rival sees your strength and your weakness, your discipline and your doubts. Such knowledge, when honored with respect, deepens into a bond of loyalty. Thus, Meyers’ friendship with Humphries is not despite their rivalry, but because of it.

History gives us the tale of Achilles and Hector, warriors who clashed upon the fields of Troy. Though enemies, there was honor between them, for each knew the greatness of the other. In contrast, consider Alexander the Great and his lifelong friend and rival Hephaestion. They trained together, fought alongside one another, and pushed each other toward glory. Their bond illustrates what Meyers embodies: rivalry that strengthens, friendship that endures.

To invite a rival to one’s wedding is a profound act of recognition. The wedding is no ordinary feast; it is the joining of lives, a sacred threshold. To include one who competes against you in this circle is to proclaim that rivalry does not erode the heart’s capacity for affection. Instead, it refines it, teaching humility, gratitude, and the nobility of honoring the other’s journey as much as one’s own.

Therefore, O listener, learn this: rivalry and friendship are not opposites, but twin fires that, when held rightly, sharpen the soul. The one who respects their rival as a friend gains not only a worthy competitor but also a companion in the pursuit of greatness. Let the wedding guest list of Elana Meyers be a lesson to all—that even amidst struggle and contest, love and loyalty can flourish, binding hearts more strongly than victory or defeat.