Bahamian Olympian and national record holder in the women's long jump Bianca "BB" Stuart will be inducted into the South Illinois University (SIU) Hall of Fame this weekend for her achievements as both a collegiate and professional athlete, and for her work in the field of dental hygiene.
The 2009 graduate holds the SIU and Missouri Valley Conference indoor and outdoor long jump records. Stuart, who currently works as a dental hygienist in Auburn, Alabama, has represented The Bahamas in both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.
As a collegiate athlete, she earned seven conference championships in the long jump, four indoor and three outdoor.
She was a two time All-American, and placed seventh in the 2008 outdoor finals and fourth in the 2009 National Collegiate Athletic Association indoor finals.
At the Rio Olympics last summer, Stuart finished 16th overall in the long jump. She had a best jump of 6.45 meters (21 feet 2 inches) and missed the final by just eight centimeters and four spots. It's the closest she has come to making a final at the World Championships or Olympics.
Stuart, 29, will return to SIU for the first time since graduating this weekend.
"It means a lot to me," she said of the induction. "I put a lot of effort and hard work into my track career as well as my dental hygiene program. Trying to juggle both of them together was pretty difficult, but I did it. Being recognized by SIU is an honor and a privilege, and I really appreciate them remembering me.
"I can't really say how emotional it will be. I definitely miss SIU. I really don't know. I'm pretty even keel. I don't really express my emotions too much. I really don't know how I will react. I tell everybody that college was the best time of my life. The only thing that ran me away was the cold weather."
Stuart is currently training for this year's International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) World Championships that takes place this summer in London, England. However, another Olympic appearance remains in question.
"It's too far ahead for me to make that decision," she said. "The only place I'm focusing on right now is the World Championships. I'm not going to put a time line on my track career yet."
The induction ceremony will take place Friday at the SIU Arena.

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