Local track star, Melissa Jefferson, headed to Olympics

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — On Saturday, Melissa Jefferson qualified for the 100-meter dash at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

Jefferson is a Georgetown County native and graduated from Carvers Bay high school. She recalled the times she spent running for the Bears, even with limited resources.

“Most of my high school career at Carvers Bay, we actually had a concrete track,” Jefferson said. “The shoes that I had, they were basically kind of like passed down, so I was probably wearing somebody else’s shoes that were or used to be on the team. I never had a pair of my own shoes, and in that state, you know, you work with what you can work with.”

She then went on to run track at Coastal Carolina University, where she had endless success, including an NCAA National Championship title for the indoor 60-meter dash. This would be Coastal Carolina’s first individual national championship.

“ At Coastal, I felt like I really had the opportunity to grow into what everybody sees now, as me being Melissa Jefferson,” Jefferson said. “It’s prepared me for levels in this sport that I’ve wish about myself, as far as wanting to represent Team USA, wanting to be an Olympian someday, and wanting to be a champion at all the levels.”

On Saturday, Jefferson finished in second place in the 100-meter dash (10.8 seconds) to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

“When I was in the blocks, I felt like I was actually kind of blacked out,” Jefferson said. “I didn’t wake up in the race until like 5 meters out and I saw my training partner, Sha’Carri, go past me a little bit. I did kind of panic slightly because I was like, I don’t know where anyone else is but I have to get to this line, I have to make this team.”

Jefferson will be headed to Paris alongside her training partners Sha’Carri Richardson and Twanisha Terry. The relationship she has with two other runners is more than just surface level.

“Our relationship is very authentic, it’s genuine, it’s kind,” Jefferson said. ” She’s [Sha’Carri Richardson] my big sister. Her and TT, we work together, and we complement each other’s strengths and weakness, we all pull each other in the right direction. It’s a really beautiful partnership, friendship, sisterhood, all of that good stuff.”

Even though Jefferson has represented the Red, White, and Blue before, this will be her first time doing it during the Olympics.

“It definitely means a lot,” Jefferson said. “I think this time around, it’s a little bit more special just because it’s an Olympic year. I’ve made world team before for an individual and just for the rely pool, as well, so I kind of know the ins and outs of what it means to be on each team for with each level. “This time around I’m happy that I’m able to represent the United States in the Olympic year and also for an individual event, it means a lot.”

Jefferson’s first race of the Olympics will be on August, 2nd.

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