Camacho-Quinn could easily have represented Team USA having been born and raised there, but chose against representing the country to run for Pueto Rico
2020 Olympic 100m hurdles champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn has finally opened up about the moment she decided to represent Puerto Rico instead of the United States, a choice that shaped her remarkable track and field career.
Born and raised in South Carolina, Camacho-Quinn could have easily competed for Team USA.
But with deep Puerto Rican roots through her mother, María Milagros Camacho, the hurdling sensation felt an undeniable connection to the island. That bond ultimately led her to don Puerto Rico’s colors on the international stage.
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Speaking on Justin Gatlin’s Ready Set Go podcast, Camacho-Quinn reflected on the life-changing decision influenced by her Kentucky coach Endrick Floreal
“In 2016, my freshman year, Flo [her coach] told me, ‘Jas, you know you can run for Puerto Rico too,’” she recalled. “I have a Puerto Rican mom, so it’s not like it’s not there.”
Unlike many elite American sprinters who rise through the extensive youth track system, Camacho-Quinn had a different path.
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“I didn’t even understand how people did youth track,” she admitted. “I only did high school track. No summer track, no indoor track—just February to May, and that was it.”
But when the opportunity to represent Puerto Rico came knocking, she didn’t hesitate. Excited, she turned to her parents for their thoughts. “My mom was very supportive, and my dad just told me, ‘Whatever you want to do, I’ll support you,’” she said.
The decision was made almost instantly. “Literally the next day, I just had to sign paperwork, and I was good to go.”
Since then, Camacho-Quinn has carved out a historic legacy for Puerto Rico. She stunned the world at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, winning gold and setting an Olympic record of 12.26 seconds in the semifinals—one of the fastest times in history.
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She followed it up with a bronze at the 2022 World Championships, a silver at the 2023 edition, and another bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics, making her the only Puerto Rican athlete to win multiple Olympic medals.
Her pride in representing Puerto Rico has never wavered. In 2021, she made it clear to the world: “You see my mommy? The PUERTO RICAN woman that birthed me?” she tweeted. In a video for the Puerto Rican Olympic Committee, she simply stated, “I am Puerto Rican.”
While she may have grown up in the U.S., Camacho-Quinn has embraced her Puerto Rican heritage with full force—on and off the track. And with her star still shining, she continues to bring glory to the island she proudly calls home.
