That mark, she knew, would assure her a spot on the Paralympic team headed to Paris.
Shed run faster in the past.
The gun went off, and Ayanbeku pushed hard, crossing the finish line in first place.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
She waited, briefly, for the announcer to say her time.
When she heard it13.01 seconds on the dotshe doubled over, crying with joy and relief.
But I was able to do itand have her there to see it.
Femita Ayanbeku winning the 100 meters at the 2024 US Paralympics Team Trials
Now Ayanbeku will head to her third Games to pursue her first Paralympic medal.
Watch her in action on September 5 for the first round, with the final on September 6.
She didnt start running until she was 23.
Ayanbeku grew up outside Boston in Randolph, Massachusetts, and didnt consider herself particularly athletic as a child.
I played for like three months, then never again, she says.
There she received an Ossur brand running blade and metJerome Singleton, a sprinter and three-time Paralympian.
She clocked a time of13.44 secondsto win the 100 meters and placed second in the 200 meters in28.41seconds.
Afterward, she returned to her alma materAmerican International College in Springfield, Massachusettsfor homecoming.
The track coach was like, Why didnt you run for us when you were here?
I was like, I didnt even know I could run!
It was definitely a surprise to everyone, even myself.
She won a national championship while pregnant.
Since then, Ayanbeku has won seven more nationaltitles.
Though she didnt know it at the time, Nailah was with her for the most recent.
While shed always wanted to be a mom, the timing wasnt exactly planned.
When we found out I was pregnant, I was very excited, she says.
The second thing I thought about wasnext year is the Paralympics.
I think I can make this work, she remembers thinking.
She kept training as long as she could, with modifications.
The tight timeline meant Ayanbeku would have to work hard both before and after birth.
She kept training throughout her pregnancy, though she tweaked her routine based on her doctors and coachs advice.
Fortunately, the birth experience went smoothly for both mother and daughter.
But Hart reassured her that her hard work would pay off and her muscle memory would take over.
I didnt believe him at first, she says.
It felt like it was going to take forever.
But I stayed consistent, and slowly but surely, it started to come back.
None of it was easy.
She frequently tookNailah to the gymand the track, sometimessquatting her in the carrier.
When her motivation dipped, Ayanbeku thought of the message she wanted to send her daughter.
I never want her to feel I had to give up anything.
Breastfeeding while racing was a bit of an adjustment.
Her first race back, Ayanbeku had fed Nailah just 10 minutes before the gun went off.
She didnt snack afterward, taking only a few sips of water pre-race.
When she attempted to run at full speed, she felt completely drained.
So she worked to develop a schedule and routine that meets her fueling needs and the babys.
It was a trial and error jot down of deal.
Allyson Felix and Alysia Montano are her role models.
Both of these track superstars made definitive statements about pregnancy and motherhood.
Montano competed while pregnant at not one but two national championships, in 2014 and 2017.
Afterward, both have become activists pushing for more support for female athletes in general and moms in particular.
If she hadnt, Ayanbeku isnt sure she would have worked to qualify.
You dont have to sacrifice one for the other.
Jodie Grinham added a few extra elements to her training routine to account for a surprise kick or two.
These foundations being able to support people like me has been very helpful.
She modeled for Victorias Secret.
Ayanbeku was one of several models and the only amputee topose.
Her nonprofit once partnered with nail salons on discounted pedicures.
One of her favorite campaigns was working with a local nail salon to offer half-priced pedicures for amputees.
A lot of amputees have insecurities about going to nail salons, she says.
Its a comfort thing.
Having Nailah changed her timeline for retirement.
Ayanbeku had high hopes heading into Tokyo, but injuries and a case of COVID interfered with her training.
She placed ninth in the 200 meters and 11th in the 100 meters.
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