Twanisha “TeeTee” Terry is not only an Olympic athlete at the top of her game, but is also an advocate for accessible education for young children! Our next installment in our Hurdles to Hustle series is the perfect example of TrackGirlz being multifaceted and role models in all aspects of their lives!
Enter to win a copy of Terry’s new book here!
Terry never lets others dictate what she can or can’t do. Her instagram handle @canonlybeme_ is the epitome of her approach to life. She is the poster child of authenticity — dominating in her track career at the same time as sharing her impressive crochet designs and showstopping outfits online and pursuing her passion to increase the literacy of young children through her new book and online book club.
Tearing up the Track
Terry is a sprinter specializing in the 100m. She made a splash the moment she entered the scene — breaking 11 seconds in the 100m at just 19 years old and winning gold at the 2018 USATF U20 Championships and silver at the World U20 Championships in the distance the same year. Since then, she earned back-to-back World Athletics Championship titles as a member of the U.S. 4x100m relay team in 2022 and 2023. She also clinched Olympic gold in the 2024 Paris Summer Games as a member of Team USA’s 4x100m relay.
Even though it was her first Olympics, Terry recognized the achievements of those who came before her and took the opportunity in stride. “Just going in and knowing the ladies before us that paved the way,” she said. “We’re new talent and we are all capable of doing what the ladies before us have done.”
Entering New Fields: From Athlete to Author
Off the track, Terry certainly stays busy. She is a strong advocate for mental health, an influencer sharing her athletic journey on social media, and the founder of the book club “Readers on the Run” where she encourages young children and families to join her in reading stories that encourage them to chase their dreams!
Terry also recently added published author to her long list of accomplishments. Just two weeks ago, Terry released a new children’s book entitled TeeTee’s World Adventure, which is now available on Amazon! The new release was co-authored with Dennis Vanasse, and the story covers her Olympic journey — aiming to encourage young readers to seek out “teamwork, resilience, and the joy of adventure.” But Terry doesn’t just talk the talk, she walks the walk. She is traveling to local schools promoting the book and doing read-alouds, speaking to young children about the importance of education and following their dreams.
Breaking Expectations and Keeping Community
Terry said that she doesn’t like to be put in a box and has a wide variety of passion projects going at all times. “When I’m outside of training, I always have one of those creative ideas flowing. I see a lot of stuff that I just love to dive into,” she said. “Right now, my main focus is my book and my foundation. I also run a local book club that I started with the hopes of trying to get younger kids back into reading because I feel like a lot of kids have strayed away from reading.”
But despite all of these projects, Terry continues to look ahead. She has opened up about wanting to open a daycare in the future and maybe even dip her toes into sports broadcasting. However, Terry wants to wait until she is able to be more involved in these endeavors. “I’m not in a rush to open it because I want to open it locally where I am able to pop in and pop out,” she said.
Terry boldly shares her goals and practices her values in all areas of her life. She is a true TrackGirl who doesn’t just bask in her success, but uplifts others trying to follow in her footsteps. She has truly created a legacy on and off the track and is just getting started. We can’t wait to see where her career goes next!
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