For Oregon alum Kemba Nelson, making her home country of Jamaica proud and the support she feels from the Jamaican fans means more to her than any medal ever could.
Jamaica boasts not just an illustrious track and field history but also an ever-loyal fanbase that will travel great lengths — even all the to Eugene, Ore., for the World Athletics Championships last month -- to show support to its countrymen.
Nelson finished a prolific career with the Ducks this past season while winning Pac-12 championships in the women’s 100 meters, 200 meters and helping Oregon win the women’s 4x100-meter relay as well. Appropriately, Nelson was named MVP of the 2022 Pac-12 Championships.
But that was just the start for the prolific Duck.
After the NCAA season ended, Nelson signed with Puma in July and will compete representing the German-based sportswear brand going forward.
She said that signing with Puma, a move that many of her fellow Jamaican sprinters have made, was “a dream come true.”
Five-time Olympic gold medalist Elaine Thompson-Herah and three-time world champion Shericka Jackson are two of the women on Team Jamaica that have paved a path for Nelson by signing with Puma.
“[Puma] always takes care of their Jamaican athletes,” Nelson said. “It was just the right fit for me.”
Three-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is another athlete Nelson watched as a kid and has inspired her throughout her career.
Nelson has since joined Fraser-Pryce at Elite Performance Track Club, led by coach Reynaldo Walcott.
Now competing on an international stage with the very women that Nelson says were her “idols," she’s taking in all the knowledge they have passed along.
“Looking at how they operate championship seasons it should really set me up for what’s to come,” Nelson said
Nelson admitted that even she was starstruck after first meeting and competing on the same stage back in 2017.
She also noted that one of the biggest takeaways she’s picked up from these women is the patience and dedication they have when it comes to competing at such a high level.
“It doesn’t happen overnight. Every race isn’t going to be your best race.” Nelson said. “You have to be hungry. You have to love it.”
This perspective at such a young age (22) positions Nelson well for what is ahead of her.
After not qualifying for the 100-meter final at the 2022 World Athletics Championships last month, Nelson was neither disappointed in herself nor happy with her performance, telling reporters she can't be mad at herself after making it to this grand of a stage.
Little did she know that she’d get another chance to run in a final less than a week later.
She helped Team Jamaica qualify for the 4x100-meter relay final by running the anchor leg in the qualifying heat with Ramona Burchell, Natalliah Whyte and Briana Williams.
And on the morning of the 4x100 meter final, Nelson found out that she’d be running in the final with … that’s right, her idols.
She ran the first leg for Team Jamaica — followed by Thompson-Herah, Fraser-Pryce and Jackson -- on the way to a silver medal in 41.18 seconds.
The only way Nelson’s story could seem more like something out of a movie would be if they had won gold. And they were just five-hundredths of a second from doing so.
After the final she was asked if there was one specific teammate that she grew up wanting to be like. With Fraser-Pryce standing beside her, all she needed to do was point to her left.
“Shelly,” Nelson said. “My dream was to run on a relay with her and it happened today.”
What a way for Nelson to start her professional career.
