At the National High School Journalism Conference, I met Aaysia Williams, a junior track athlete at Western High in Davie, Florida. Like most SCH athletes, she is dedicated to her sport, so much so that she moved from Canada to the Southeast with her family for her track and field career. Her personal bests include 12.06 seconds for the 100-meter race at the FHSAA 4A Region 4, 25.35 seconds for the 200-meter race at the FHSAA 4A District 14 race, and 1:01.70 for the 400-meter race at the Westminister Academy Invitational. Her plans for the future are to run for her country in the world championships and go pro after college.
Q: What are your goals for this season? Do you want to get into the Olympics?
A: I think it’s just running the personal best, medaling at States, this year or next year, being on that podium, going international, and running for my country. I do want to go to the Olympics in 2028. It’s in LA, close to home. So in 2028, I’ll be 20, by then I think I’ll be ready for the Olympics for sure.
Q: After you pulled your hamstring, what habits did you implement?
A: Honestly, after I pulled my hamstring I thought it was the end of the world because this was my first serious injury, and honestly, I didn’t want to do anything. I felt like my whole season was done because I didn’t think I was going to recover in the amount of time I did. But when I did recover, I made regionals. Not only that, I made States and ended up medaling there. Knowing the setback that I went through before, and just knowing that all the hard work, all the pain, and suffering that I endured, and then I was able to medal at states, it was like “Oh my gosh!” I went through all that, but it was so rewarding. All that hard work paid off, and I’m very thankful for that.
Q: Do you have any role models? Anyone that you look up to?
A: Oh, my mom, for sure. My mom sacrificed everything for me. We moved half across the country so I could do my sport. My brother is the one who motivated me to do it because I would always see my brother running on the track, I was like, I want to do that too. I just developed that bond with the sport, and I can’t really describe the love I have for the sport… I have no words. Having a support team behind you, I think, just really motivates me to want to do well. I always put God first in everything. That’s one of my main things. Put God first in all that you do, because He will come through for you at the end of the day, no matter what situation or obstacles or challenges that you’re going through. I think just hearing that from other athletes really motivated me.
Q: Were there any other difficult periods in your track career?
A: When I first moved from Canada to the US, I think competing in the States for the first time was a wake-up call, because I went from being number one back home to being fifth or sixth at my first meet in the States. So that was, I think, just adjusting to training and train environments, like not being in the cold, training in the heat 24/7. Just balancing out different routines of training, being in the weight room, being on a track, and doing four hours instead of two hours. That’s what the difference was.
Q: Would you experience the same growth if you stayed in Canada?
A: In Canada, track is not a popular sport. Track is getting more recognition now because we have more athletes coming out of our country, but I feel track feels a little bit more known here. It’s not just like a broad sport, like in Canada. Having people who know the sport of track and field come and support and watch and cheer you on I think is good too. The culture shock was that back home, you don’t have anybody that looks like me. So I think just being part of a community that welcomes you, I think its good for you as an athlete.
