CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sanu Jallow-Lockhart was born in The Gambia and will be representing her country at the Paris Olympics, competing in the Women’s 800m. This is her first time competing in the Olympics.
Jallow-Lockhart's family came to the United States when she was 9 years old and she graduated from West Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte in 2022, where she lettered for all four years. She learned English through ESL once her family moved to the U.S.
According to her student biography, Jallow-Lockhart speaks four languages. Her mother was a Division 1 athlete and her father was in the army.
Now 21, Jallow-Lockhart is a student at the University of Arkansas, where she competes in track & field.
She plans on majoring in sports management.
"I feel very honored and proud to want to represent my country because I want to put Gambia on a map," Jallow-Lockhart recently told WCNC Charlotte's Sports Director Nick Carboni. "I want to show people that no matter the nationality of someone you just need to support who they are, and their background."
She won state championships in the 400 and 200 as a senior at West Meck. This year at Arkansas, where she was a teammate of fellow Olympian and Mallard Creek grad Kaylyn Brown, Jallow-Lockhart helped the Razorbacks win silver at the NCAA Championships in the 4x400 relay.
Jallow-Lockhart competed on Friday in Women's 800m and finished 44th overall with a time of 2:03:91.
On Saturday, she placed 6th in her heat with a time of 2:04.44. She did not qualify to advance to the semifinal.