Nyasha Harris Set Eyes on Olympics 2028

Seventeen-year-old Nyasha Harris is not only pursuing a degree in Business Entrepreneurship but also making waves on the running track. When she’s not hitting the books, she’s out there conquering the world with her speed. Her dream is to represent Belize at the 2028 Olympics in the United States, and she’s well on her way. News Five’s Paul Lopez caught up with Harris after school at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex to learn more about this young athlete blazing a trail in track and field.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Seventeen-year-old Nyasha Harris is making waves in track and field on the regional stage. Her best events are the one hundred and two-hundred-meter races. Last year, Harris made history as the first Belizean female to win gold in the hundred-meter race at the Under Eighteen CODICADER Games in El Salvador. She then went to Playa de Carmen, Mexico, and brought home two more gold medals. In February, she dominated the ATLIB Track and Field Championships, winning gold in the hundred and two-hundred-meter races, the relay race, and the high jump. Just two weeks ago, Harris added two more gold medals to her collection in those races at a World Athletics event in Mexico.

 

Nyasha Harris, Track and Field Athlete

“It started from my parents, I got it in the genes. My mom uses to do track. She went to Guatemala and won silver. My aunts did track and field as well. I was born; I went to preschool where I started running for Sports Days. Then we moved on to primary school where I was running for sports day, and I got into the track meet for the CSSSA.”

 

The Central Secondary Schools Sporting Association (CSSSA) gave Harris an early taste of high-level competition while she was still in primary school. When she moved on to high school, she continued to compete in the CSSSA and kept her gold medal streak alive.

 

Nyasha Harris

“I want to be just like my mom and even better than her. I want to continue her dream because she did want to finish track and field because she I am doing that for her too.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Is there a race that solidified this journey for you to say this is the route I want to take?”

 

Nayasha Harris

“It would be the one in October where I ran and came in first for the one hundred.”

 

Despite the worn-out tracks at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex, Harris continues her training there. Over the past two years, her hundred-meter dash times have improved dramatically. Her coach, Fred Evans, a seasoned track and field expert, may have lost his hearing, but that hasn’t stopped him from giving Harris the guidance she needs to keep excelling.

 

Fred Evans, Coach

“I was hoping she would be good enough to get into the Olympics last year, but she has an accident, I will call it an accident because it was PE at school and she tore the muscles in her calf. So that just set her back. We want to get her in a system where the environment, the culture is track and field and books and then she can really excel. I think she can be good enough to have the national record for the one hundred meters and represent us at the 2028 Olympics.”

 

Nyasha Harris

“My vision will definitely be 2028 Olympics. I am really trying to make it there in the next four years.”

 

Balancing her studies as a Business Entrepreneurship major with her track and field training, this teenage athlete has a full schedule. Despite the challenges, she deeply appreciates the support from Belizeans cheering her on in her races.

 

Nyasha Harris

“I really want to say thank you guys, all the messages and comment is have been receiving makes me really grateful and more confident in my races ahead of me. I realty want to make Belize proud and put you on the map, so I am trying my hardest. I want to say to you guys thanks for all the support as well.”

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.