Track and Field Olympian Melissa Jefferson-Wooden Reveals the Key to Her Winning Mindset

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden is the fastest American woman competing in track and field today—and she’s not slowing down anytime soon. The 25-year-old track and field sprinter, who won a bronze medal in the women’s 100m race and a gold in the 4x100m relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics, continues to stay a step ahead of the competition, all while breaking her own records.

Jefferson-Wooden broke her personal best, clocking a 21.47 second 200m race at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, on Sunday, Sept. 13. Prior to the race earlier this month, the professional athlete’s personal best in the 200m was 21.68 seconds, which she set at the Tokyo World Championships last September (an event in which she earned triple gold, in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay).

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden celebrating her 200m victory | Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images

“It feels great,” Jefferson-Wooden tells SI Swimsuit of beating her personal best earlier this month. “I definitely shocked myself with the time I ran. I did not see 21.4 to close out my season. I am going to celebrate by going on a getaway vacation with my husband [Roland Wooden II] to San Diego.”

Training for her races in Budapest

The day before the 200m event, Jefferson-Wooden also aced the 100m, clocking a gold medal-winning time of 10.62 seconds, the seventh-fastest time in the event’s history. In order to keep both her body and mind fresh for back-to-back races, Jefferson-Wooden says she sticks to a “light and simple” routine that keeps her focused on the task at hand.

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden during the 100m race at the Ultimate Championship | Sona Maleterova/Getty Images

“The closer we get to competition, the more serious I get,” she explains. “But in doing that, I make sure that I’m occupying myself with things that I enjoy, like playing games, reading and watching Call of Duty videos on YouTube.”

Leading up to the Ultimate Championship, Jefferson-Wooden’s workout routine consisted of low-intensity workouts, including sprinting but not doing quite as many reps. “The goal was to make sure my body was ready to run fast,” she explains.

As for her nutrition during training season, Jefferson-Wooden’s diet consists primarily of proteins like lamb and fish, which she says helps her to maintain her weight. She loves just about any vegetable and occasionally fills her plate with carbs like sweet potatoes, rice and pasta.

Cultivating a winner’s mindset and looking to the future

When Jefferson-Wooden graduated from Coastal Carolina University in 2022, she wrapped up her collegiate career by setting school records in both the 60m dash and 200m, as well as taking the 2022 NCAA Indoor National Champion title for the 60m dash. Since then, she has claimed the 2026 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award and continues to strive for more each and every season.

While the professional athlete, who was photographed for the 2026 SI Swimsuit Issue by Katherine Goguen in Fort Myers, Fla., was on set with us, she remarked upon the importance of always looking ahead to the future. Despite being the third-fastest woman in history in the 200m event, Jefferson-Wooden is always pushing herself to do better.

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden reacts to 200m victory | Martin Rickett - PA Images/Getty Images

“The mindset that I have to continue to look forward is very significant to the things I’ve been blessed to do,” she explains. “I wanted to be the greatest female athlete ever, and you don’t get there by just resting on your laurels. I think this mindset came after I attended my first outdoor NCAA Championship and I didn’t make the final for either event. That weekend told me that I didn’t want participation trophies. I knew that if I wanted to be in the mix or win, I would have to change my mindset.”

With the Ultimate Championship serving as Jefferson-Wooden’s last race of the 2026 season, she is certainly wrapping things up on a high note. However, she is already looking ahead to 2027 and is dedicated to becoming a triple world champion once again, all while also using her platform for good.

Next month, Jefferson-Wooden will launch her nonprofit, The Village Initiative Inc., with a festival in her hometown of Georgetown, S.C., followed by a gala event in Orlando, Fla. The goal of the organization is to empower young people through education, sports and community, all of which have been instrumental in her own success.

“[This year] has taught me so much about myself and I want nothing more than to share that with the world through my gift of running,” she says.

Training for her races in Budapest

Cultivating a winner’s mindset and looking to the future

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