“My Heart (Breaks)”: Alaysha Johnson Ignores US-Jamaica Rivalry to Support 30-Year-Old Track & Field Athlete’s Struggle

Real-life heroes struggling in real life can be heart-wrenching to see at times. Many sports personalities have been outspoken about occurrences concerning their struggles that felt unfair! 

Top-tier sports personalities like Sha’Carri Richardson, Omar McLeod, Dalilah Muhammad, and others have candidly discussed their despair. The list is long, yet it was recently highlighted when American sprinter Alysha Johnson posted a video on her Twitter handle. This piece of news hit the chords (all the right ones) of a wide range of audiences investing their days and nights in sports. Let’s get into it.

Alaysha Johnson’s display of sportsmanship over ‘rivalry’

The sports world never disappoints anyone! As many athletes struggle to establish their name in the industry and get what they deserve, there are some athletes who present themselves as the epitome of sportsmanship over antagonism. One such incident caught the public eye when Alaysha ‘Lay’ Johnson posted a video of Jamaican track and field athlete Omar McLeod to support him. Lay tweeted and captioned it, “My heart (breaks) people never understand the inside struggle!! You were amazing beyond your years and handled it all with the upmost grace so happy to see him full of life!” Alaysha ‘Lay’ Johnson chose to keep the struggles of the co-sports people over the long-run rivalry. Her move celebrated the essence of a true sports person.

The 30-year-old athlete discusses his struggles and how people made him feel even after winning gold in Rio. He mentioned this by saying, “My country never made me feel like winning a Gold medal at the Rio Olympics was a big deal.” Omar’s squeaking voice was a testament to the pain that he felt over the years, which was mindfully addressed by the American star. Notably, her emotional side emerged as she has been through the same process and resonates with it well.

Was Alysha Johnson subjected to discrimination?

Alysha’s journey in the sports realm has been beyond failure. She stepped onto the track with no sponsors and has been vocal about various aspects of it. She has received several honors and won ample titles; her recent best was at the Paris Olympics Trials in 2024 in the 100 m, clocking only 12.31 s. The track and field athlete’s lack of resources never made it the reason for her to rant over her losses.

Lay was seen tweeting out her anguish on social platforms on occasion. She vents, mentioning, “I dedicated my entire life to a sport to be ostracized from it for what?” After this post, fans and personalities like ‘Sha Carri Richardson’ came in front to support the 26-year-old athlete. However, her journey to excel continues, and she will be toiling more for her goals, which will be evident in the coming Olympics!