Junior Christina Gray has no problem helping maintain the Carson Colts women’s track and field legacy. She has won City Section championships and competed in the CIF State meet during her first two years with Carson.
“It makes me feel very special that I’m able to help my team,” Gray said. “It feels very good to know that our hard work doesn’t go unappreciated and we made it this far, two years in a row.”
During the 2024 City Section finals, Gray matched the City Section record for the 100m, running a 11.68s record. The record was set in 1982.
Gray is a two-time City Section Champion in the long jump. She qualified for the Junior Olympics in this event when she was younger.
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“I’ve been doing long jump since I was I think eight,” she said. “I saw my other teammates doing long jump and I only did it because it was fun. But then I just happened to be good at it.”
Gray has seen her former teammates go on to Division I colleges; she is inspired by them and hopes to follow in their footsteps.
Gray has also helped the 4x100m relay teams reach the State championships twice. She mentioned how her teammates console each other.
“I talk to all my teammates, we pray,” Gray said. “We just talk together. We try to ease each other’s nerves but once we get on the track, it all goes away.”
According to Gray, being a student athlete means being a role model. The coaches of the track team also push the students to excel in the classroom.
“To be an athlete on any team, the requirements are 2.0 but my coach’s requirements to be on the track team is a 3.8 GPA,” Gray said. “I know that I have to stay above that in order to stay on the track team.”
When it comes to academics, Gray enjoys learning about math and computer science.
“We learn how to code, we create video games every week. We’re learning how to create apps,” Gray said. “We’re learning how to get through the internet … safety of the internet, a lot of things that have to do with technology in the future.”
Outside of academics and athletics, Gray volunteers for Help Mates for Hope. Her mother runs the nonprofit; Gray assists with the various events the organization hosts.
“She helps me be helpful,” Gray said. “She does clothing drives, she does school drives for kids. We put together backpacks, hand them out.”
