Sophomore Jada Martin is sprinting her way into the NCAA’s elite class in her second year with the Lady Tigers. The nation’s fifth-ranked athlete in the women’s 100-meter dash is looking to build off her success and take the next step this outdoor season.
The Lithonia, Georgia, native started experimenting with track and field in middle school but only thought of it as a hobby. By high school, she realized she could build a successful career and has been perfecting her craft ever since.
“When I first started running, I wasn’t that good,” Martin said. “It got a lot better as the years went along. It’s something that was never hard for me. I figured I have a gift, and I enjoy [it].”
Martin emerged as one of the nation’s top track and field talents at Martin Luther King Junior High School. By the time she signed with LSU, Martin was the nation’s No. 2 ranked sprinter in the 55-meter dash.
However, Martin got a feel for LSU years before she signed her letter of intent. Martin made frequent trips to Baton Rouge with her high school team to compete in meets, and she was impressed with what the campus and the track and field program had to offer.
“That’s when I fell in love with LSU,” Martin said. “I thought this is it. This is where I want to go to school.”
She was an NCAA quarter finalist in the 100-meter dash but otherwise had a quiet freshman season that was plagued by injuries. The grind of an outdoor season in the Southeastern Conference took a toll on her body, but she would bounce back.
Martin ended her season with a gold medal while representing the United States at the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships in the 4×100 meter relay event. She said it was a defining moment in her collegiate career.
“That was a big moment for me,” Martin said. “Towards the end of my freshman season, I couldn’t really contribute to the team like I wanted to. I felt like it was a chance to redeem myself and get back into the mix of things.”
She came back stronger in 2015 with a clean bill of health. Martin climbed into the top five rankings in her favored 100-meter dash after her victory at the LSU Alumni Gold Meet this past weekend.
She was also honored by the SEC last week, as she received women’s runner of the week honors Tuesday. It was the second time Martin earned SEC athlete of the week honors after winning SEC freshman runner of the week last year.
Martin said the award was significant to her and confirmed to herself that she is headed in the right direction, especially with the competition the SEC has to offer. Coach Dennis Shaver agrees but said Martin’s best is still on the horizon.
“We’re really pleased with what we’re getting from her,” Shaver said. “There’s lots of room for improvement. If she can stay healthy, she’s going to continue to improve. She seems a lot more focused in the last month, more so than I’ve seen her in the past, and I think that’s a natural sign of maturing.”
You can reach Mario Jerez on Twitter @MJerezIII.