16-year-old Candace Hill recently made history. The track star has been named the fastest teen in the United States having sprinted 100 meters in a mere 10.98 seconds. Hill is planning to take her talents to the 2016 summer Olympics in Rio where she’ll be the youngest professional track athlete to represent the U.S.
While the high school junior was hoping to run in college for the University of Southern California (USC), going pro means she’ll no longer be able to compete with her high school or a college team while she trains for the Olympics. Becoming a professional athletes in any sport is a rarity that also provides financial stability. The teen star still plans to attend college and major in biology. She would like to work in sports medicine or as a sports reporter.
Even with the rigorous training and competition schedules, Hill currently has a 4.6 GPA and is ranked within the top-10 percent of her magnet high school. Her academic and athletic accomplishments caught the eye of footwear and clothing company, Asics. According to The New York Times, the brand has signed a 10 year endorsement deal with Hill where they will fully cover her tuition for whatever college she’s chooses to attend.
“My teachers are really supportive, but when I have a deadline I don’t get extensions,” she humbly said. “They joke, ‘World champions have to do their homework, too.’
Congrats Candace! We’ll be rooting for you to medal in Rio!
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