Track and field is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated sports in the Olympics. The United States has dominated the long jump event historically. The Stars and Stripes have won gold 22 out of a possible 29 times. If the U.S. wants to continue that tradition in the 2024 Paris games, they'll have to rely on a Southwest Florida product. Lehigh Senior High School alum Jeremiah Davis is headed to the Olympics.
Davis grew up wanting to be a football player. The pigskin was his first love. He looked up to the greats in the game, wanting to be just like them.
“Football was just my true passion," Davis said. "I thought I was like the next Reggie Bush.”
While he wasn't a future Heisman winner, Davis was still pretty special. He played wide receiver and defensive back at Lehigh. His speed and agility are what helped separate him on the field and the basketball court.
“There was something about him," his former coach at Lehigh, Matt Booth, said. "He just had that demeanor, had that quiet confidence.”
After years of football being his number one sport, Jeremiah decided to try out track. At first, it was just a side sport. Football was still his main focus. Despite not getting his full attention, Davis' track career took off. He started with the speed events, running the 400-meter, 200-meter, and 100-meter. Then, at one practice, he learned about the long jump, and the rest, as they say, was history.
Jeremiah pivoted to track, which was his number one sport in his junior year of high school. At that point, he already had a Junior Olympics title under his belt. Davis then added two state championships to his resume in the long jump and triple jump during his senior year.
“I was on top of the world," Davis said while smiling.
After graduating from Lehigh in 2019, Davis went to Florida State University. In his four years in Tallahassee, Davis accumulated over 20 All-Conference, All-American and event MVP honors. However, despite all of that success, Davis' biggest goal still eluded him — a first-place finish on the national stage.
“Literally leaving FSU without having that, it was just like, 'I got to win something,'” Davis said.
Win is exactly what he did. On the biggest stage, Davis placed first at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials in Eugene, Oregon. He leapt a season-high 8.20 meters in the long jump.
“I didn't go to sleep for like three or four days after that," Davis said.
Despite having a gold medal around his neck, Davis didn't have a ticket to Paris. He failed to hit the Olympic standard of 8.27 meters. So, Jeremiah spent the past two weeks waiting to see if his world ranking would be good enough to qualify him for the games. He had to be in the top 25 of the world. When the rankings were updated, Davis slotted in at No. 23, earning a spot on Team USA at the Paris Olympics.
“I just want to relish in the moment and just not take it for granted," Davis said.
Davis says he is focused on bringing home a medal to the 239, but also wants to enjoy the experience and soak up everything that the games provide. His most important goal, though, is to represent Southwest Florida and serve as an inspiration to everyone in his hometown.
“He is inspiring dreams in the next generation," Booth said. "This has never been done before. I think that’s the huge part of his story. He just made this possible.”
“I want to leave a legacy on the city of Fort Myers [and] Lehigh Acres," Davis said. "Being able to represent our country, let alone my city, it just makes me super excited.”
The men's long jump competition begins Aug. 4.