By Sholnn Z. Freeman
No scholarship, no prior recruitment, no fanfare—yet, this Sunday, Jessika Gbai (B.A. ’22), an under-the-radar “Philly girl” and walk-on athlete from Howard University, will realize every athlete’s dream by competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I don’t think it has sunk in yet,” Gbai said this week, speaking from Paris. “While I am shocked, I shouldn’t be shocked to be here. I’ve been telling myself that I deserve to be here. This has been my number one goal and I’ve put in the work.”
Gbai will compete in the 200 meters and 4×100 meter relays, representing her native country Ivory Coast. Her first race is on Sunday at 4:55 p.m. EST. It’s the first round of the 200 meters. Gbai graduated from Howard University in 2022 with degrees in biology and political science, and one of the more stellar track careers in University history.
“We are so proud of her,” said Howard University Athletic Director Kery Davis. “Jessika Gbai was a two-time All-American as a Bison, she made it to World Championships, and now she gets to showcase her greatness to the entire world. I can’t think of a better display of excellence or climb to the top since current track and field head coach David Oliver.”
Gbai’s path to the Olympic stage began in Philadelphia. Her mother had migrated from Ivory Coast to give her children better opportunities; Gbai embraces both her American upbringing and African heritage. She grew up in “a tough environment in Philadelphia” where schools lack funding. Despite challenges, she and close friend, alumna Iyanna Robinson, made a pact to overcome their circumstances by attending Howard.
The athletic dreams of the self-proclaimed “Philly girl” took root in 2016, during the Rio Olympics when Gbai saw two Ivorian Olympians competing on TV. Inspired by their performance, she set her sights on a similar path. As a freshman at Howard, she decided to attempt to walk onto the team, unfazed by her limited track resume: she had not been a standout or serious track athlete in school.
Gbai had perfect timing. Howard’s new coach, David Oliver, a celebrated Olympic hurdler himself, was prepared to take bold moves to re-energize the program. The Howard University track team has a long lineage of success with continuing representation at the Olympics since the 1968 games in Mexico City.
“I remember Jessika coming to my office, eager and determined,” Oliver said. “She had no scholarship, and her high school stats weren’t impressive. She was definitely not a student athlete you would look at twice.”
Gbai’s drive and innate talent started to make an impression. Coaches were compelled to look twice as she delivered dominating performances in practice, consistently outpacing the fellow athletes on the team.
She trained rigorously, breaking records and winning titles at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championships. By her senior year, Gbai was a force to be reckoned with. She set records in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and both relays at Howard.
Gbai had initially planned to attend medical school after graduation. However, she confided in Oliver that she wasn’t ready to give up track just yet.
“I told him I wanted to keep this going a while longer,” she said.
In response, Oliver began arranging everything, including meetings with agents and top-tier coaches for her to consider. But Gbai’s journey from Howard to Paris has not been easy. In 2021, Gbai narrowly missed qualifying for the Tokyo Games, falling short by just 0.29 seconds. Gbai’s resolve only grew stronger. The chance to represent the Ivory Coast in international competitions added a layer of complexity. As an advocate for HBCUs, Gbai encourages students to make the most of their opportunities, no matter where they start.
“Even here at the Olympics, the person who is going to win is not the person who ran the fastest the whole season,” Gbai said. “It’s going to be the person who makes the best out of the challenges or the situation they’re in. Everyone has talent and skill, but can you stand the rain.”