They say, ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,’ and for McKenzie Long, 24, that couldn’t be more true. Last year, she went through one of the hardest things imaginable—losing her mom. It was heartbreaking, but even in the middle of her grief, McKenzie didn’t give up on her dreams—track and field Olympics! With a gutsy third-place finish in the 200-meter final at the Olympic Trials—right behind Gabby Thomas and Brittany Brown—McKenzie secured her ticket to Paris!

But McKenzie’s story didn’t start there. Back in high school at Pickerington Central in Ohio, she was already making a name for herself, snagging a state championship in the indoor 60-meter dash and becoming a two-time AAU Nationals All-American. She even earned a No. 8 national ranking in the 60-meter back in 2016! After breaking records at NC State, she transferred to Ole Miss and lit up the track during her last two years. With so much talent, the fun part is track and field wasn’t her first love.

McKenzie Long’s early years shaped her success in track and field

Recently, McKenzie Long joined Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green on Ready Set Go, where she opened up about her path into track and field. We all know that Long’s love of running first bloomed during her childhood in Ironton, Ohio, just south of Columbus. When asked how she found the sport, she laughed and shared, “OK, so, in recess growing up, I was always beating the boys, and you know, we did field day back then, so I was always just naturally fast. Then I got into gymnastics, and I guess that probably helped with my turnover speed now because I’m so quick up and off the ground.” Long reminisced about her love for gymnastics, which she pursued before track and field. It was her natural talent that caught the eye of Coach Johnson, who immediately recognized her potential.

Track and field star revealed how her coach was impressed with her, ‘“Oh, so you did gymnastics? Perfect, that’s a one.” She further added, “I did power tumbling.” I don’t even know what that is, but it’s on the big floor, right? It’s like a rod. It’s straight, kind of like a 100-meter run. I do power tumbling; I didn’t do the beams and vaults and stuff. I didn’t do that. Yeah, that’s really how I got into it.“Oh yeah, I was literally flipping off all the furniture when I was little. Sassy and everything”

Her natural athleticism didn’t stop there; at home, she was always bouncing off couches and doing handstands in the living room. This playful energy led her mom to sign her up for gymnastics, a decision that Long believes helped hone her agility. But it was during her high school years that her talent truly began to shine. As she grew, so did her dreams, and she ultimately reached the Olympic stage. Though her mother wasn’t there to witness her achievements, McKenzie always felt her guidance.

Carrying mother’s legacy to the Olympic Trials

McKenzie Long’s world shattered when she received the devastating news that her mother, Tara Jones, had passed away from a heart attack in her sleep at the age of 45. It happened on January 29, 2024, and it was a blow McKenzie never saw coming. Tara had always been McKenzie’s rock, her biggest supporter, and her first post-race phone call. Tara and the track and field star’s bond was so strong that, even at the starting line in the Olympic trials, McKenzie could swear she could feel her mom’s spirit guiding her. “She was talking to me, but she wasn’t physically alive,” she said.

When following McKenzie’s story up to the 2024 Olympics, it wasn’t all about the race but about taking a piece of her mother along with her. She had all the reason to sit back and give in to the grief, but she did not. She also knew Tara believed in her, and a vision was planted in Tara’s head that could only see in the Olympics as a track and field athlete. She never considered quitting since she believed that her mum would not have wanted it. Tara was not only a mom; she was McKenzie’s support who encouraged her to do her best ever.