UT jumper Ackelia Smith eyeing Paris 2024 Olympic Games for Jamaica
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Ackelia Smith, a University of Texas at Austin track and field junior, has been building momentum with some of her best long and triple jump distances to date.
She just won in both jumps on home turf at the Texas Invitational track meet over the weekend. Her sights on the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games are becoming clearer.
Smith, a first-generation college student from Jamaica, dreamed of competing at the collegiate level on a scholarship.
“Back home, you hear that if you get a college education, you're sure to get a job…I'm a first-gen college student, so I wanted to achieve some things," Smith said.
So far, Smith is making a name for herself at UT. She holds the 2023 NCAA outdoor long jump title, the triple jump indoor and outdoor records for the university and just recently claimed the title of 2024 Big 12 indoor long jump champion.
“What do you think that your younger self would say?" Reporter Jala Washington asked Smith.
“I think she'd probably be jumping up and down," Smith said with a smile.
Behind most great success are tough times. Smith said she struggled to rediscover who she was in the sport when she moved from Jamaica to Texas.
“When I got to UT, I was literally confused my first year...[I had] to fall in love with track and field again," Smith said.
Ackelia Smith has been building momentum with some of her best long and triple jump distances to date. She hopes to compete in the Olympics for Jamaica. (KXAN Photo/Jala Washington) 
Ackelia Smith has been building momentum with some of her best long and triple jump distances to date. She hopes to compete in the Olympics for Jamaica. (KXAN Photo/Jala Washington) 
UT jumper Ackelia Smith sits down with KXAN reporter Jala Washington. (KXAN Photo) 
Ackelia Smith has been building momentum with some of her best long and triple jump distances to date. She hopes to compete in the Olympics for Jamaica. (KXAN Photo/Jala Washington)
Growing up watching Jamaican greats like Usain Bolt, Smith said she's trying to stay focused on reaching that level.
“I'm on my way there," Smith said.
With Paris 2024 just a few months away, she's confident she'll be able to qualify.
"Everybody out there works just as hard as you, maybe harder," Smith said. "And they're trying to be the best.... every time you run your jump, you throw, you're just trying to be the best.”
Smith has until June 30 to qualify and has a few more college meets to reach her long and triple jump distances: a 6.85 and a 14.5 with a wind-legal of anything under 2 meters-per-second
She would be competing for Jamaica at Paris 2024 Summer Games.