by Deji Ogeyingbo
For Jacious Sears, the Time Is Now
Jacious Sears has always had the kind of speed that makes heads turn. In April last year, when she clocked 10.77 seconds at the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, it felt like a breakthrough that would change the course of her career. The wind was legal, the execution clean, and the time fast enough to throw her into the Olympic conversation. For a sprinter who had already built a solid college resume, it was a bold declaration of readiness for the next stage.
But momentum is fragile. Not long after that performance, an injury halted her progress. She missed the Olympic Trials and the Paris Games, watching from the sidelines as her peers lined up on the biggest stage. It was a crushing blow for an athlete on the cusp of something special. The disappointment lingered, but so did the desire to return stronger.
Now, Sears finds herself on the cusp again. Healthy and motivated, she has rebuilt her season carefully. Her 2025 campaign has been about patience, rhythm, and learning how to manage her body and mind as a professional. The results are beginning to show. She ran 10.85 seconds at the Prefontaine Classic 100m B race in early July, tying Twanisha Terry for the second-fastest time among Americans this season. She followed that with an 11.02 effort in Monaco on July 11, racing into a headwind against a top-tier field. Her body is holding up, and the numbers are improving week by week.
What sets Sears apart isn’t only the times on the clock. It’s how open she’s been about the process behind the comeback. She speaks clearly about her faith, her daily habits, and the importance of staying connected to the small routines. Things like eating well, sleeping better, and communicating with her coaches allow her to stay ready. There’s a maturity in her voice that wasn’t always there in college. This is her first full year as a professional, and the adjustment has been significant.
Sears is not a household name in the way some of her peers are, but she is building something with quiet determination. The U.S. women’s 100m field is deeper than ever. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden leads the pack with a season-best 10.73. Twanisha Terry and JaMeesia Ford have also run under 10.90, while veterans like Aleia Hobbs and emerging talents like Alexis Brown are fighting for spots.
Still, Sears has shown she belongs in the conversation. Her top-3 mark of 10.85 places her alongside the very best this year. Her early indoor form, where she looked sharp and focused, hinted that the base was there. Now, with the trials approaching in a matter of days, all that’s left is execution.
She knows the stakes. The Tokyo World Championships are the next major target for every American sprinter. Making the U.S. team would mean not only redemption from last year’s setback but validation of the work she’s put in since. The margins are tight, and nothing is promised in an event where tenths of a second determine careers.
Her recent results, her calm presence, and her growing confidence all suggest she’s peaking at the right time. The pressure will be high, but Sears has already done the hardest part. She got back up. Now, all eyes turn to the trials. If she can replicate the flow and form she’s shown in pieces, she might finally secure her place on a national team.
