Trinidad and Tobago’s multi-talented track and field star, Tyra Gittens-Spotsville, is embracing a fresh wave of excitement as she prepares to compete in her first-ever World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, from March 21-23. The 26-year-old long jumper, who has been a dominant force in the NCAA circuit, expressed sheer joy at achieving a goal she had set for herself earlier this season.
“This is my very first indoor world competition,” she said. “Last indoors, I had an injury and missed out on a lot, but this time around, I’m feeling good.”
Gittens-Spotsville, a three-time NCAA champion, 18-time NCAA Division 1 All-American, and five-time SEC champion, has long been a standout in the collegiate ranks, breaking multiple Trinidad and Tobago national records in the long jump, high jump, pentathlon, and heptathlon. Despite her extensive resume, the World Indoor Championships will be a milestone moment in her career—one that she has been eagerly anticipating.
“World Indoors has always been on my radar for this season, so I’m happy I get to check this off my list of milestones,” she shared with Sportsmax.TV. “I haven’t felt this excited about competing in a long time, and this season, I feel like I’m just oozing with excitement.”
The former Texas A&M University and University of Texas at Austin student has overcome her fair share of obstacles, including injuries and a six-month doping violation ban in 2022 due to an administrative error in her Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) for ADHD medication. Now, with renewed focus and motivation, she is determined to make the most of this new opportunity.
“I feel like young Tyra again—just eager to go out, have a good time, and execute,” she said. “I’ve done the work; it’s all there, and now I just get to go out and enjoy myself. I know I keep repeating it, but that’s really how I feel!”
Gittens-Spotsville will compete alongside Michelle-Lee Ahye, Trinidad and Tobago’s 60m specialist, at the World Indoor Championships. She believes this competition is about more than just results—it’s a reflection of her rekindled passion for the sport.
“I’ve been taking this sport so seriously for such a long time, but now my relationship with my event has blossomed,” she said. “I’m just excited to go out there and represent Trinidad at my absolute best.”
With a personal best of 6.96m in the long jump and extensive experience across multiple disciplines, Gittens-Spotsville is no stranger to high-pressure competitions. Now, as she embarks on this new chapter, she is fully embracing the moment, ready to soar once more on the global stage.
