What does it take to be the fastest 13-year-old in history? To clock times so unreal that they stand as records for years? Kayla Davis knows. Back in 2017, she was just a middle schooler from Huntersville, North Carolina, training under Olympic bronze medalist Bershawn Jackson. Then came that scorching 52.54 in the 400m at the USATF Junior Olympics, a time so fast it shattered a national record and left the track world buzzing. A star was born.

By 15, she was outpacing future Olympians, storming to a 51.17 at the New Balance Nationals ahead of Athing Mu. The University of Florida Gators saw her promise, and later, the Arkansas Razorbacks embraced her talent. Yet, for all her brilliance, one truth remains. What is that? Kayla Davis didn’t walk this road alone. Her parents played a massive role. But who are they?

Who is Kayla Davis’s father?

Kayla Davis has been able to reach this level with her father, Jeremy Davis, but he is a father as well as a coach. In this case, he has been instrumental in shaping her journey on and off the track. He serves as one of Kayla’s coaches alongside her mother, Katina Davis. Jeremy has played a vital role in Kayla’s development since her birth. He has instilled in her the sport and given her the framework, discipline, and motivation to pursue competition at its highest level.

“The goal is always to get better in some aspect—whether it’s racing, training, preparation, or execution,” he explains. However, balancing the roles of father and coach was not always easy, but he has always been a dad first. “To me, that was being dad/daughter, so I moved to the background as coach,” Jeremy said to Runner Space in 2019. “It has allowed us both to grow and trust each other again,” he concluded.

Kayla’s rise to fame could easily be said to be remarkable; she is a record-breaking sprinter who has begun to be held in the highest regard by other Olympic medalists, including Sanya Richards-Ross, Ato Boldon, and Bershawn “Batman” Jackson.

But her great success is based on a simple, powerful philosophy: work hard, stay humble, and have a good time. She learned that from her father, the one who is helping her in shaping her journey toward excellence.

Who is Kayla Davis’s mother?

The story of Kayla Davis, the phenom sprinter from Charlotte who’s breaking records, isn’t complete without understanding the woman who first spotted that natural talent at a skating rink years ago. Katina Davis, herself an NCAA athlete at the University of Iowa, recognized her daughter’s gift when Kayla was just seven years old.

After seeing her run, she called her husband and told him how fast she was, as she noted her daughter’s natural form even then. Athletics runs deep in the Davis family. Katina began her track journey at 12 with the Quick Striders Track Club in Greenville, South Carolina, before competing at the collegiate level. This experience now shapes how she guides her daughter as both mother and coach.

“I don’t talk track after we leave practice because it’s mommy time,” Katina explained in 2019, drawing a clear boundary between roles. “We have our girl days to enjoy each other’s company because she’s growing up very fast, and I want to enjoy every moment.”

As Kayla’s coach, Katina crafts training specifically tailored to her daughter’s development. “We manage her races to ensure she’s race sharp,” she says, emphasizing rest as crucial. “Running every weekend at a high level can cause major wear and tear to the body.”

What is Kayla Davis’s parents’ nationality?

Katina and Jeremy Davis have American nationality, and the Davis family calls Charlotte, North Carolina, home. Both have deep athletic roots. Katina laced up her spikes at 12 with the Quick Striders Track Club. Jeremy, on the other hand, dominated the basketball court at UNC Greensboro.

Now, they’re not just her biggest supporters, but they’re also her coaches. Katina keeps a firm line between coach and mom, while Jeremy, after some trial and error, learned to put their father-daughter bond first. Together, they’ve built a balance that allows Kayla to thrive, and her talent is taking her far beyond state lines.