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This February, Long Beach State head track and field coach
LaTanya Sheffield was named head women's coach for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Sheffield will also work with Team USA's sprinters and hurdlers while at the Games.
The Big West’s Chloe Clark sat down with Sheffield in advance of the Olympics to talk about experiences as a Team USA coach, as an Olympian at the 1988 Seoul games and as leader at Long Beach State and in The Big West.
Reflecting on the experience of being an athlete for Team USA, Sheffield said, “There’s so many memories that come up. I really felt a part of something even greater than myself. Walking in the tunnel of the stadium, walking to your lane, looking at the crowd. Looking at a packed house and they’re there to not watch you, but I felt like they were celebrating us, just as a body of athletes.”
Of high demand on the international stage in the realm of coaching, Sheffield previously served as the USA National Team women's head coach for the 2022 World Championships, and has been selected twice to lead the United States women's national team's sprints, hurdles, and relays at the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Olympics before being elevated to head coach for this summer.
Since joining the Long Beach State staff in 2013, the team has won seven Big West championships, with the men claiming five titles and the women going back-to-back in 2022 and 2023.
As an athlete, Sheffield established an American record in the 400 meters hurdles in 1985 and excelled as a collegian at San Diego State as two-time All-American, 1985 NCAA Champion (400H) and 1993 inductee into the SDSU Athletics Hall of Fame. Sheffield was an Olympic finalist in the 400 meter hurdles at the 1988 Games in Seoul, South Korea and also represented the United States at the 1987 World Championships.
“Once you are an Olympian and are able to represent the United States in this platform ... you are representing your country,” Sheffield reflected. “What got you here is really your tenacity, your courage, all of the hard work, all of the tears and the laughter and all of those things. Enjoy the moment.”
“The biggest advice [for the class of 2024 Olympians] is remember what got you here. And surely, but surely, it will keep you there.” Sheffield notes. “I look forward to many gold medals here at the Olympic Games in Paris, France. I want y’all to look forward to these gold medals in Paris, France, and really, truly give positive thoughts, super prayers, much blessing and grace to those athletes who finally will have got there.”
Track and field competition from Paris is set to take place August 2-10. The complete event schedule can be
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