JT Smith, the reigning U.S. indoor 60-meter dash champion and Texas A&M University-Commerce male athlete of the year along with the 2022 NCAA Division 2 100-meter dash winner, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss competing Aug. 25-26 for the United States in the men's 4x100-meter relay at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Smith, who finished fifth July 7 in the 100-meter dash final in 10.14 seconds at the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., joins Fred Kerley, Cravont Charleston, Christian Coleman, Noah Lyles, Brandon Carnes and Kendal Williams in the men's 4x100 relay pool. He revisits competing Aug. 4 at the Ed Murphey Classic in Memphis, Tenn., and still running a wind-legal 10.09 in his eighth month of competition this year. Smith expresses gratitude for Texas A&M-Commerce coach George Pincock for his training schedule and his insight and perspective, in addition to his support, as well as his teammates, family and girlfriend Sofia Khenfar for all of their contributions throughout the journey to Budapest. He revisits running sub-6.60 five times during the indoor season, including a lifetime-best 6.53 in February to capture the U.S. indoor title in Albuquerque, N.M., and examines how coach Pincock was already planning for a summer schedule that didn't only include the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships, but the World Athletics Championships as well. Before the program's transition this season to the Southland Conference in Division 1, Smith reminisces about competing in previous years the Lone Star Conference in Division 2 against rival West Texas A&M, featuring Ghanaian sprinter and sub-10 competitor Benjamin Azamati-Kwaku and having the confidence and motivation for he and his Texas A&M-Commerce teammates to be able to prevail against them in the 4x100 relay. He also speaks about the patience and mental toughness required this year since Texas A&M-Commerce wasn't allowed to compete at the Division 1 indoor or outdoor championship meets in the first year following its move from Division 2, and being able to place more emphasis on the Southland Conference finals, as well as the U.S. indoor and outdoor nationals. Smith shares that he still has an ambition to play football and run track as a professional athlete, mentioning that there are potential offers as a receiver in the XFL following his return from Budapest, looking to contribute to the U.S. capturing 4x100 relay gold for the first time since 2019 in Doha, Qatar, following a silver medal last year in Eugene.