Track and field athlete Femita Ayanbeku is breaking barriers! The American runner has qualified for her third Paralympics just six months after giving birth to her daughter. The extraordinary achievement comes after the athlete mom competed in the 100-meter dash qualifying race. "I was taking my daughter to the track with me, taking her to lifts. It was a lot. But I was so determined," an emotional Femita said during an interview with Team USA broadcast crew members.
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Femita not only surprised others, she shocked herself.
"I’m just so proud, I can’t even put it into words," the athlete shared. "It’s like I knew I could do it, but to actually do it … I can’t even describe this feeling."
Many people had tried to convince her to take a year off.
Getting to where she is wasn't easy for the new mother. "Everybody was telling me to take the year off. To be able to come here and be the national champion again, I’m just so proud of myself. It was an incredible performance," she said. "Coming back from having a baby just six months ago and getting in shape to run was one of the best times of my life. But I was so determined. I can’t even put into words how proud I am. It feels indescribable."
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Nothing has stopped since having her baby.
Femita has been open about including her daughter as she continues to chase her dreams. In one video on her Instagram, she is seen working out in the gym and running around a track — all with her daughter in tow. She described herself as a "full time mom and athlete," adding that, "Becoming a mom while still chasing my goal of the Paris 2024 Team has been one of the most challenging things I’ve done, but it will be the most rewarding."
Femita lost her leg when she was 11.
Femita lost her right leg in a car accident when she was 11. “I was insecure about my physical appearance and didn’t wear shorts,” she told People in a previous interview. She wore shorts for the first time at 18 years old after getting surgery.
She began racing at 23.
Her athletic ventures began when she was 23, after a nonprofit organization gifted her a custom-fit running blade. "When I ran, it felt like I had two legs again," Femita said. "I chase that feeling every time I run."
