By Solé Scott
Editor in Chief
Alexis Holmes (center) with student athletes from the university during the private meet and greet in the John Lyman Center.
Olympian and gold medalist Alexis Holmes revisited her Connecticut roots.
On Wednesday, Oct. 30, “An Evening with Gold Medalist Alexis Holmes” took place at the John Lyman Center.
The evening began with a Q&A in the Kendall Drama Lab before Holmes took the stage. During this time, Holmes had the chance to connect with attendees, while reflecting on various points of her career.
She shared her journey from starting track at 4 years old to competing at the highest level.
She also gave insight on her transition from Pennsylvania State University to University of Kentucky for more competitive environments, the importance of having a sports agent and her favorite workout.
Holmes emphasized the balance between training and mental health and the significance of recovery.
She also mentioned her aspirations outside of track, such as writing and potentially becoming a doctor.
This Q&A ended with her meeting Interim President Dwayne Smith and taking photos with most attendees.
The public speaking event took place in Lyman’s auditorium after 7 p.m.
Dawn Stanton, Holmes’s mother, received a standing ovation as she appeared on stage before introducing NBC Connecticut Sports Reporter Gabrielle Lucivero and her Olympian daughter.
“Who would have thought that I would be a guest speaker here one day?,” Holmes said. “It is just kind of amazing how things have come full circle. Then of course, my mom is a track legend here, so it means a lot to come back.”
She expressed it is not easy living in Arkansas where she trains away from family, yet she is making the best of it by getting a membership to Planet Fitness and going out more.
Holmes’s said that her inspiration is her immediate family who “has been my rock since the time I was born. Like my mom, she has always encouraged me to be well grounded as a woman outside of track and also to have fun with it.”
The Olympian even shared highlights of the Olympic village where the chocolate muffins and uncomfortable cardboard beds were the biggest sensation on social media.
“Before the Olympics, we were looking on social media, and there was this rumor about the cardboard beds. I’m like there is no way that they are going to have the best athletes in the world sleeping on carboard. We walked in. Cardboard beds.”
On the bright side, the chocolate muffins were just as good as TikTok portrayed them to be.
“It was so good, and people were talking about it on Twitter, and I was like ‘ok good, it was not just me,’” Holmes said.
The Olympian also shared her challenges with being a world-class athlete.
“The sacrifice that comes with it, you know, I’m not living the typical life of a 24-year-old, which sometimes, I think ‘Am I missing out?’” Holmes said.
Unfortunately, with success in the public eye comes negativity from social media.
“I kind of saw in Budapest last year at the World Championships how you can go from being America’s sweetheart to being most hated,” Holmes said.
An audience member during the Q&A asked if we would see her at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“Oh yeah, I’ll be there!” Holmes said.
Before the event ended, Holmes was gifted merch from the university by Interim President Dwayne Smith.
“It feels very heartwarming to know that there is little girls or little boys that are looking up to me and seeing me as a role model,” Holmes said. “I inspire them, and I don’t take that lightly.”
