RIO DE JANEIRO – Port Arthur native, Inika McPherson, is ready to make her mark on the 2016 Summer Olympics.
“Hey we made it! We’re here baby. Let’s get it!” McPherson said.
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She’s been called the best jumper on the planet.
While it sounds like a lot of pressure to live up to, the 5’4” high-jumper doesn’t see it that way. If anything, it drives McPherson to push herself harder toward her dream of bringing home Olympic gold.
“I heard Michael Jordan, he said you’ve got to want it. You’ve got to really want it bad to really keep as far as having experiences throughout life,” McPherson said.
[Watch: Port Arthur native Inika McPherson prepares in Rio as she goes for the gold]
Now 29, McPherson fell in love with Track & Field when she was in the fourth grade. She finished third at the trials last month by jumping one foot higher than she stands.
Her toughest competitor throughout this entire journey, she says, has been herself.
“When you look in the mirror you’ve got to feel like you're competing against yourself. All of the other competitors are great. I learn from each and every one of them but at the end of the day it's just me and the bar,” McPherson said.
Get to know Port Arthur native & Olympic high jumper Inika McPherson! She is ready to represent and bring home the gold! .@kprc2 #RoadToRio #Rio2016
Posted by KPRC2 Andy Cerota on Saturday, August 13, 2016
Inika loves the vibe and flare of Rio but all of her energy is focused on training. She works out three hours a day in an effort to stay consistent. Something she hopes future Olympians will take to heart.
“Believe in your dreams keep that desire burning and don't let anything stop you,” McPherson said.
If you want to see Inika in action, she competes this Thursday in the women's high jump and then again on Saturday