“I wanted to come in this year, and win it all” - NCAA 100m and 200m champion McKenzie Long geared up for U.S. Olympic Team Trials 2024

McKenzie Long took the world on notice during the recent NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships 2024. She took home three national championships, and as she heads to U.S. Track and Field Olympic Team Trials 2024, the Ole Miss sprinter is eyeing to make it to her first Olympic team.

Long won the 200m title with a world-leading time of 21.83s. It also marked the second fastest timing in collegiate history, just 0.03s shy of Abby Steiner’s record from 2022. Over the 100m sprints, she clocked a best of 10.82s (+2.2).

Long also helped Ole Miss in the 4x100m victory. Teaming up with Akilah Lewis, Gabrielle Matthews, and Jahniya Bowers, the quartet clocked 42.34s for the gold medal. She definitely was the highlight of the 2024 NCAA Championships, but it hasn't been like this for always.

“Last year I didn't win anything, so I wanted to come in this year and win it all. That was the main objective, that was the main goal. I knew I could," Long told Citius Magazine in an interview.

McKenzie Long is now looking ahead only. Olympics or Worlds, she wants to win it all.

“I don't want much to change. I don't want my thoughts of track to change. I'm gonna just continue to include my mom, especially for the Trials. I want to make my first Olympic team. That would be so crazy. My coach is already talking about Worlds next year, so I plan on going to that too," she spoke about her transition to pro-athlete.

McKenzie Long opens up on her iconic photo in the stands at Eugene

McKenzie Long speaks about her mother (Image via her Instagram)

Just before racing at the 2024 NCAA Championships, McKenzie Long was pictured alone in the stands eyes closed, head down, pods on. She would go on to win three national titles, and later describing the picture, she claimed she was speaking with her mother, who wasn't with her anymore.

"Hey! I love this picture you took of me in the stands, I was actually talking to my mom who passed away in that moment, and glad somebody captured it so thankyou for that," she told the photographer of the image.

Speaking with Citius Magazine, McKenzie Long described the moment as the most ‘pivotal’ one of her career.

“This particular conversation, I did cry more. It was the most pivotal moment of my life. I was just telling her, ‘This is my breakthrough moment.’ I told her that before this even happened… I told her, ‘Just let me feel you, let me know that you're here.’ And she did. In the blocks”, she revealed.