Dennis Leaps Forward: Buffalo Track Star Eyes Olympic Gold

Mekhi Dennis

Hello everyone, my name is Mekhi Dennis, and I am here to share my track and field journey with everyone. My journey with running track began when I made the varsity team in the 8th grade, but I was brand new to hurdles. I would run my hardest, but I was unable to win first place. I was disappointed when I could not win at the state or national levels. My tears would flow as I dreamed of improving to move to next level in the hurdles.

Patience and hard work helped me improve during the 8th grade; however, I was inconsistent in my prayer at this time and wondered why the hurdles I had a difficult time. At the end of my 8th grade season, in June, I buried my head in my pillow, cried, and asked God, “why am I not good enough?”

Fast forward to freshman year, I decided to get right with God and prayed. I went from the worst in my section to a top 5 rank by the end of the season. By my sophomore year, I realized my potential. I qualified for the state championships and competed at the Ocean Breeze for the first. I lost, but this did not deter me from making a strong return. My continued training allowed me to win a national championship in outdoor track. I became an All-American hurdler during my sophomore year.

I trained with persistence and grit from the summer to winter to prepare for my junior year indoor track season, but God poured his blessing onto me. I qualified for the state title again, broke my school’s record, and won the section title that season. Our loving God made this possible, and without him, it would not have been possible.

My immediate goal is to bring the gold back to Buf falo, but my future goal is to win gold at the Olympics. I have worked countless hours to get where I am in the sport, all glory to God. So, now I will let the Lord lead me to greatness, Amen.