Two weeks before she left Langley for Florida to resume training with renowned track coach Ato Boldon, 13-year-old Aaysia Williams was selling chocolates at $3 a box to help raise money for the trip.
“Serious buyers only,” she cheerfully said, in a video posted to social media that showed her getting drenched in the rain.
Williams mother, Michelle, describes her daughter as a track prodigy who has been winning races and setting records since she was nine.
“My daughter has a talent and one of the top coaches in the world wants to coach her,” Michelle told the Langley Advance Times.
Mom managed to attract Boldon’s interest by sending a video clip of Aaysia in action, which led to a two-month stay in Florida.
During her stay, Aaysia made a good impression on Boldon, a former Trinidadian track and field athlete and four-time Olympic medal winner who owns several records, including the Commonwealth Games 100 metres.
“She is a great young lady and works harder than just about anyone I’ve seen at this age,” Boldon commented.
On Wednesday, Oct. 20, Aaysia and Michelle returned to Florida.
Before they left, Michelle launched a Gofundme campaign to help cover the cost of training, saying as a single mother, it’s a challenge to find the necessary funding.
In a video attached to “Aaysia Williams Olympic Dreams,” a beaming Aaysia explained her goal is “to be the fastest Canadian human ever and to be an Olympic gold medalist.”
As of Wednesday, the campaign had raised $4,275 raised toward a $15,000 goal
Michelle stressed that her daughter is expected to continue her studies while she pursues her athletic goals.
“She has a very strong work ethic and she has to keep up academics,” Michelle said.
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