Gabbi Cunningham is set to represent Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics this year, having qualified in the 100m hurdles event. At the ripe young age of just 23 years old, she will experience the highest stage of athletic competition in Japan and aims to come back with a medal around her neck.?

The athlete finished 4th at the Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon, and thought her Tokyo dream was over. However, she later got a call saying she had in fact, qualified due to second-placed Brianna McNeal receiving a ban over a previous issue.

?When I got the call that I made the Olympic team, I was really excited,? Cunningham said, speaking to Mike Toper of Spectrum News. ?I was actually out here practicing and they called me and I had missed it the first time because I was warming up.?

“And so I called and they let me know that I had made the team and I was very excited. It was like all the emotions because at first, I didn’t know how to feel,? she admitted. ?Just all like, hit me at that moment.?

Gabbi Cunningham gave it her best at the trial finals and even registered a personal best timing of 12.53 seconds. Unfortunately, she lost to third-placed Christina Clemons by a scraping margin of 0.005 seconds.?

Gabbi Cunningham replaced Brianna McNeal in the 100m hurdles team

Brianna McNeal, who was in second place, was ruled out of the Tokyo Games due to a five-year suspension handed to her due to a missed drug test in January last year. Cunningham was then called in to fill her place for the team.?

Inspite of the difficulties many athletes faced due to the pandemic, Cunningham believes it was a ?blessing in disguise?. She claims it helped her work on her mindset and she is now more focused than ever before.?

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?My main thing to do there is to go compete, do my best to represent my country, and hopefully bring home a medal,? she said. ?And so that’s kind of what I’ve been focusing on. I know the moment will be different, but I’ll have plenty of more years to enjoy it.?

Cunningham is coached by Allen Johnson, the 1996 Olympic Gold medallist in the 110m hurdles race and a three-time Olympian. He urges her to believe that it is just another race in Tokyo and that although millions of people will be watching, it will be the same race it’s always been. With this mindset, Gabbi Cunningham will aim for a podium finish and she just might get that.?