Southern California's Tynia Gaither, right, crosses the finish line in front of Tennessee's Maia McCoy, left, during a women's 400-meter relay semifinal at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships in Eugene, Ore., Thursday, June 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Ryan Kang)
When Tynia Gaither suffered the worst injury of her track career — a grade 2 hamstring tear —while anchoring USC's 4x100-meter relay in a NCAA qualifying meet last year, she had enough courage, drive and determination to fight through the pain and finish the race.
The former Osceola High School standout hopped on one leg to the finish line in order to make sure her teammates could advance even if her junior season was over.
Gaither used that same resolve to overcome the injury and return in the best form of her life this spring. Over the weekend the reward for her comeback came to fruition when the 23-year-old recent college graduate qualified for the 2016 Olympics.
Gaither, who was born in the Bahamas, will represent that nation in Olympic track competition in Rio de Janerio, Brazil, in August. She secured her first berths by winning the 100-meter dash on Friday and the 200 on Saturday at the Bahamian national championships in Nassau.
"Missing the (2015 NCAA Championships) and meets for the Bahamas last summer tore me up," Gaither said Monday. "I'm a junkie for nationals, for the top competition. Having to sit home and watch was very difficult. But it definitely sharpened my mental game to a level I've never been at. That has me where I am right now."
After sitting out the 2016 indoor season, Gaither bounced back to run career-best times of 11.19 seconds in the 100 and and 22.54 in the 200 while finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, in those races at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. She also anchored the Trojans to a school record time and second place finish in the 4x100 relay.
"I came back knowing it was time for me to redeem myself and make up for everything I lost last year," Gaither said.
Gaither, who was a six-time state champion for Osceola, stayed on form for the two weeks between the NCAA finals and Bahamian trials. She won the 100 in 11.33 on Friday and the 200 in 23.00 on Saturday.
"I'm so happy to be able to finally put on a show for the Bahamian people, who have always been so supportive and so loving," she said. "I've never been at my best for the Bahamas trials. Always struggling with injuries or something.
"To be in tip-top shape and go out there and win the double it was incredible."
Gaither flew back to Los Angeles on Sunday but will soon rejoin the Bahamas national team in hopes of also leading its 4x100 relay to the Olympic Games. They hope to run fast enough to make the relay field of 16 nations in a July 10 meet in the Bahamas.
Gaither graduated with a sociology degree last month and has long-term plans to be a wedding planner. But her immediate hopes are to soon sign with an agent and turn professional, preferably before the Olympics. She could end up staying in Southern California to train, or could return to Florida. Or she could move to another training site based on her agent and pro affiliations.
"I won't be juggling two careers yet," she said. "My goal right now is to continue to focus on running fast. This is the best I've ever been, but I know I still have so much more room for growth."
The next big step in that development happens at Rio, in a Bahamian uniform.
"I will be completely satisfied if I PR (set personal records) in both of my events," she said. "And I really hope to make the final and place in the 4x100 relay to put Bahamas on the map again."
By Buddy Collings
Source: orlandosentinel.com
