Back in 2011, a high school athlete tweeted about her dream of making it to the 2016 Rio Olympics. Fast forward five years and Morolake Akinosun didn’t just make it—she crushed it! She became part of the gold medal-winning 4x100m relay team alongside track and field royalty like Tianna Bartoletta, Allyson Felix, and English Gardner.

Sure, Tori Bowie replaced her for the final after Morolake ran two clutch qualifying races, but she still lived her dream in a way she never imagined and earned gold with the team. She proudly said, “If you have a dream, I want to encourage girls to go ahead and go after it, no matter how big it is, no matter how many people think your dream is unachievable. It’s yours—go for it.”

After years of dedication now in 2024, the track star is hanging up her spikes. After Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce announced her plans to step away from the track after Paris 2024, Akinosun decided to follow suit. Yep, the end of an era is upon us! On September 10, Morolake took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to break the news. She shared a touching video, captioned, “I’ve spent my whole life on the track. But now, I’m taking my spikes off, for the final time. Thankful to have lived out my absolute dream, for so long and beyond excited for my next chapter.” It’s bittersweet, but she’s ready for what’s next.

In her emotional retirement video, Morolake took a stroll down memory lane, reminiscing about her first steps on the track. “I remember the first time I stepped on the track. I had no idea that I would fall in love, not with running but with how the track made me feel.” Even the setbacks couldn’t shake her, and now she’s off to chase greatness in new ways. But she made it clear—the track will always hold a special place in her heart.

The video shows her running on the track, with nostalgic clips from her 2016 Olympic race sprinkled in. She’s seen taking off her spikes, packing up her bag, and saying goodbye to the track. Morolake’s last race was the 100 meters back in June at Hayward Field in Eugene for the Olympic trials. Fast forward to the Paris Olympics 2024, though she hadn’t qualified to race—she was in the stands, cheering her heart out for her fellow athletes.

She hyped up American track and field stars like Noah Lyles, Tara Davis-Woodhall, and Gabby Thomas. After Gabby snagged gold in the 200m, Morolake couldn’t contain her excitement and took to X, writing: “GABRIELLE THOMAS, OLYMPIC CHAMPION!!!! Cried real tears watching this one! I’m so proud of you @itsgabbyt.”

Now at 30, the Nigerian-born American sprinter leaves behind an impressive legacy. That’s why her retirement hits hard. Fans and fellow athletes have been flooding her posts with love and support, all feeling the weight of her goodbye.

The track and Field community sends love to Morolake Akinosun after her emotional farewell

Morolake Akinosun’s retirement announcement post had an outpouring of love that showed her impact not only on the track but far beyond it too. Sports analyst and former NFL player Emmanuel Acho jumped in with some heartfelt words, saying, “So proud to be in your corner. Forever a gold medalist.” With a career packed with gold medals, it’s no surprise she’s getting so much love! From her epic Olympic gold to her 2017 World Championships win and even snagging bronze in 2019, Morolake Akinosun’s resume is seriously stacked. What a wild ride she’s had! But wait. There’s more!

Akinosun’s journey as a pro and also a collegiate athlete has been impressive! She started at the University of Illinois and then took her talents to the University of Texas, where she made Longhorn history. With 13 Big 12 titles and a couple of NCAA wins in the 4×400-meter relay, she’s earned every bit of love she’s getting. And looking at this resume, track and field analyst Kemal gave her a shoutout, saying, “Thank you for your contribution to the sport. One of University of Texas’ best athletes, an Olympic and World Championship gold medallist. All the best on your new adventure.” What a journey!

One fan summed it up perfectly, saying, “Ahhhh—this makes me sad but also so happy! Much love and can’t wait for your next chapter 👊🏼🤘🏼🫡. Congrats on an amazing 1st career!!” Morolake’s 2015 Pan-Am Games gold in the 4x100m relay and those amazing sprints in the 100m dash? Total highlights of her amazing career! She’s been crushing it with her dedication and hard work.

Another fan commented, “⁠It has been an honor watching you run! Best wishes on your next adventure!” Morolake Akinosun, who moved from Nigeria to the US with her family when she was just two, has proudly repped the States ever since. She’s spent her whole life tearing it up on the track, but now it’s time to hang up those running shoes and dive into the next exciting chapter of her life.

With all these heartfelt messages coming in, we’re super curious—what do you think about Morolake Akinosun’s incredible journey? Do you have any favorite moments or thoughts on her career? Drop a comment and let’s talk about it!