West Mesquite High School track and field student heads to Nike Indoor Nationals in New York

A West Mesquite High School student is looking forward to an upcoming special competition.

“I’m looking forward to competing with other girls from different fields,” said 17-year-old track and field star Preshes Okugbodu. “I’m not looking forward to the cold.”

Okugbodu heads to chilly New York to compete in the Nike Indoor Nationals for which she recently qualified.

“When he told me I looked like the Nike Nationals,” Okugbodu said after hearing the news she qualified. “Because I always see it on Instagram and stuff. I was very excited.”

She is currently ranked 18th in the country in the triple jump and top 50 in the long jump.

Balch Springs City Council member Marie Thedey, along with the fire department and others, helped get her through.

“I have my friends, people I don’t even know congratulate me,” said Okougbodu. “Teachers I didn’t even talk to before congratulating me. I wish me good luck.”

She has worked hard to get here. Along with hard work, she has advice for other young people who want to achieve their goals.

“Just believe,” Okugbodu said. “Have faith. Pray. But you also have to put in the effort. You also have to build your mindset, put in the effort and have a growth mindset, not a fixed mindset. Just tell yourself you can do it every day.”