Mechelle Lewis Freeman is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Mass Communications. At USC, she was a member of the 2002 Women’s Outdoor Track & Field team who, brought the first National Championship in any sport to the university.
After a successful marketing career, she transitioned back to an athlete to pursue her childhood dream of becoming an Olympic athlete. Mechelle is a Track & Field 2007 Pan American Double Silver Medalist, 2007 World Champion, and 2008 Olympian. Her events included the 100 meters and the 4×100 meter relay.
Mechelle serves as Head Women’s Relays Coach for USA Track & Field National Teams, achieving gold medal successes at the 2020 Olympics and the 2022 & 2023 World Championships.
In 2015, Mechelle founded TrackGirlz, a national nonprofit that provides access to track and field to middle-school and high-school girls. She is an active coach for the organization.
In their 2022-23 season, over 200 girls were empowered through the TrackGirlz workshops and events. They awarded $40,000 through a grant program that supports girls’ participation in track and field in their local communities. TrackGirlz also provided to girls over 50 direct mentorship opportunities with world class women track and field athletes, coaches, and influencers.
Mechelle discusses with host Elizabeth Emery the selection process for the US Women’s relay teams, the qualities of each leg of the race, creating chemistry in the team, the value of every role on the team, the hardest part of her job, what she’s looking forward to in Paris, and her organization TrackGrilz.
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