The Challenging Road To Paris – 9th in A Series – Vashti Cunningham – By JeffBenjamin
1) How is your training coming along?
“Training is coming along great; God has put amazing people around me who push me in practice and in critiquing my jumping.”
Randall Cunningham, Jeff Benjamin and Vashti Cunningham, by Jeff Benjamin
2) Have you been satisfied with your 2024 performances so far?
“I have not been satisfied with my 2024 performances, but I know that God’s plan is greater than what I plan for myself, so I’m trusting Him through everything.“
3) Is there anything you’ve changed in your training for the Olympic year?
“I’ve changed certain things like jumping more than I have on a world championship year, I’ve been running more consistently than I have any other year as well.”
Vashti Cunningham, photo by Jeff Benjamin
4) Who comprises your support system, and why are they important?
“My Family, my church, Agape Health & Fitness, my doctors in other states, and my friends make up my support system, and this isn’t naming people specifically, so there are really a lot of people who play a part.”
5) Any advice you’d like to give out there, especially to young jumpers?
“My advice to young athletes is to Trust God and seek to make Him your Best Friend. With God, anything is possible!”
Senior Writer Jeff Benjamin has written for almost 40 years for RunBlogRun! The Former President of the Staten Island AC & was the 5th man scorer for his 1982 Susan Wagner High School NYC XC City Championship team. Also a member of the College of Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame for XC, Jeff is also a retired NYC DOE history teacher. Some of Jeff's subjects have included Sebastian Coe, Eamonn Coghlan, Matt Centrowitz, Billy Mills, Joe Newton, Tom Fleming, Bill Rodgers, Abel Kiviat, Frank Shorter, Rod Dixon and Carl Lewis as well as Book Reviews and articles covering track meets and races primarily in the Northeast U.S. and beyond.
Jeff has also covered Track & Field events at the 1996, 2016 & 2024 Olympic Games as well as the 2022 World T&F Championships in Eugene, Oregon. A noted T&F historian and chronicler of the athletic achievements of Jim Thorpe, Jeff helped with the restoration of Thorpe to the official IOC 1912 Record Books.
In 2023 Jeff was honored with the awarded the prestigious James Dunaway memorial award for excellence in Track and Field journalism by the Track and Field Writers Association.
