MIAMI (WSVN) - A young South Florida athlete who has garnered national attention has her sights set on taking part in the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Over the years, South Florida has produced several Olympians in track and field. With the energetic and driven Eddiyah Frye, it appears the torch will continue to be passed.
The hurdler plans to jump her way to Paris in 2024.
Frye smiled and waved to 7Sports cameras as she made her way to the track to train. Every little step she takes brings her closer to her goal.
“That would mean a lot to me, and I know it would mean a lot to my dad, too,” she said, “’cause that’s been my goal since I was 4 years old. I hope that one day, I can get there.”
Frye, who goes by the nickname “Dada,” will be well on her way to competing in Paris if she keeps breaking records like she has this year.
Motivated by being disrespected, Frye went to Virginia and blew away the competition.
“That’s how I felt watching the first video. The first girls, U.S. number 1 and U.S. number 2, and I’m U.S. number 3. They give it to U.S. number 4. Going in, I’m the underdog right now,” she said. “Nobody’s worrying about Eddiyah Frye. They’re even going into finals; nobody is paying attention to Lane 7.”
What she did next was remarkable. She won the 55-feet hurdles in a record time of 7.81, making her the best under-20 hurdler in the world.
“I’ve got to do what I gotta do now. I’ve got to go crazy, drop something fast and win this race,” she said.
Believe it or not, Frye claims the coronavirus pandemic was a blessing in disguise.
“People didn’t have tracks, training on grass. I was able to find tracks here and there to train,” she said. “People are still not even allowed to practice, so me being able to do what I had to do in Virginia, that was a blessing.”
Under the guidance of her coaches Jon Battle and her father Eddie, the future North Carolina Tar Heel has a reason why she won’t stop until she reaches her ultimate goal.
“Everybody’s training to beat me. I can’t sit back and relax. I don’t have that luxury,” she said. “I still have to keep on working, keep on grinding hard, staying humble and to continue to stay at the top.”
“The sky is the limit for this young lady, because she has the right mindset, she has the right work ethic, and she’s dedicated to her mission,” said Battle.
“The Olympics are in 2024. That will be her junior season in North Carolina, so it don’t stop here,” said Frye’s father. “We ain’t never satisfied. I know I’m not, until she gives me and her mother a ticket to the Olympics. I’ll say, ‘You know what? It was well worth it.'”
Frye’s star continues to shine. She recently ran a record-setting time of 13.1 in the 100-meter hurdles at the Louie Bing Memorial Classic.
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