Florida Sprint Star Is Latest To Turn Pro Before Completing HS

By Todd Grasley for DyeStat

Fresh off a national high school record-tying performance in the 60-meter dash, sprinter Tamari Davis has announced her decision to turn professional.

Davis, a 16-year-old junior at East Ridge High in Florida announced the decision in front of family and friends Thursday night and chose to sign a deal with adidas over having her pick of colleges to choose from when she graduates in 2021. She held offers from USC, LSU, Clemson, Texas, Florida and Miami.

“The whole process was great,” Davis said. “I have a wonderful support system that stuck with me through everything. At the end of the day, this decision was a great opportunity that was handed to me and I took it. It was a blessing from God.”

Davis is no stranger to World age-group records indoors. She has the 60-meter record for 14 (7.30), 15 (7.25), and 16 (7.19). The 7.19 that she ran on Jan. 17 at the Gamecock Opener in South Carolina and equaled Ashley Owens' 2004 high school record set at altitude. It was a U-18 world record and moved her to No. 4 all-time on the American U-20 list and matched the 10th-fastest performance in World U-20 history. RACE VIDEO

She kicked off her high school career in stunning fashion, with an age 15 world-record time of 22.48 seconds in the 200 meters to win the Florida Class 3A state championship in 2018. Davis finished second behind Briana Williams that same day in the 100 meters. Williams, another Floridian who competes internationally for Jamaica, announced earlier this month that she would skip her senior season and college eligibility and compete professionally for Nike.

Davis added two more state championships her sophomore season and ended her high school career with a total of five national championships.

Now it’s onto the next chapter, running for adidas and longtime coach Gary Evans.

“My coach is a product of adidas and watching him excited me,” she explained. “I’ve known him since I was 7 years old and he has been there since the beginning of the process. Now we’re looking forward to building a great legacy together.”

Evans said Davis' talent was evident from the first time he saw her.

“When I first met Tamari she was always playing in the long jump pit,” Evans explained. “When I first saw her run, I was like wow, and that was at the age of 7. She just has that passion to compete and doesn’t care who it is against.”

Davis joins other recent high school sprint stars, Kaylin Whitney and Candace Hill, by going pro early. Whitney and Hill also signed pro contracts before turning 17.

Davis plans to enroll in online classes in order to obtain her high school diploma while focusing on her full-time job as a professional athlete. The adidas company is committed to paying her college tuition when she is ready to enroll.

“The first plan is to get through indoors and then I, my coach, and my agents at On Track Management will discuss the outdoor schedule,” she said. "When all is said and done I want to leave an impact for the younger generation, to be a role model, and someone they can look up to."