Claire Bryant brings a natural energy, passion and good vibe to the track every time that she gears up to compete. It’s a symbol of who she is, and what she’s brought to the table as a member of the Florida Gators track and field team over the past four seasons.
During the SEC Championships, Claire Bryant let the crowd feel her energy and passion when she urged them to lift their voices during the women’s long jump competition, where Bryant won the SEC Championships.
“I have a lot of energy regardless, so I feel like that just kind of happens in competition too,” she said.
With the post-season underway and only a number of jumps left in her collegiate career, Bryant is looking to end her collegiate career with a bang, as she leaves behind a legacy of joy, faith and gratitude.
Bryant has been a staple in the women’s high jump and the women’s long jump for the Gators throughout her career. She’s a seven-time All-American in the women’s long jump, and ranked No. 2 in Gators history in the indoor women’s long jump, No.3 in the outdoor women’s long jump and No. 4 in both the indoor and outdoor women’s high jump.
This season, Bryant has found great success in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. She finished as the runner-up in the women’s long jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships earlier this season. Earlier in May, she took home the SEC title in the women’s long jump and is looking to do big things at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Bryant has enjoyed finding what works best for her in competition, which has helped with her success.
“It’s been fun this year to figure out how I want to compete,” she said. “It’s a good balance to both lean on the people around you, and then also figure some things out about yourself that work.”
On and off the track, Bryant believes that her time in college has given her great perspective on things on and off the track, including her faith. It’s also helped her mentality when it comes to competing.
“I think I’ve been finding myself like in college, for sure,” she said. “I think college is like an accelerated growth period. So I feel like my faith has definitely helped me find the best version of myself. But then in competition, honestly, I figured out how not to take it too seriously.”
Bryant’s energy, passion and joy stems from her faith. She’s helped facilitate and lead a team Bible during her time on the team. She’s extremely passionate about her faith, and she’s leaned on the community of believers that she’s surrounded herself with to keep her grounded during each season of life.
“I do feel like my faith plays a big part in not just staying positive, but staying grounded,” she said. “It’s just been helpful, obviously my faith in God, but then also in a faith community with other Christians and being able to, like bounce off of them. I think that’s really been important to finding myself but also staying grounded.”
Her faith has also given her unique perspective when things don’t go her way when she’s competing. Bryant finished as the runner-up at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in March in the women’s long jump, just barely missing out on the indoor title.
While not winning the title didn’t sit well with Bryant, it gave her a deep point of view on her performance and her faith.
“I lost by two centimeters,” she said. “Obviously, I wanted to win and I was so upset. And then I was like, man, how am I holding the God of the universe to two centimeters?”
Bryant said that finishing in second place made her check herself, which gave her perspective going forward not just as her athlete, but in her faith as well.
“So I think part of my faith growing in this senior season, it’s more being thankful and not robbing myself of blessings,” she said. “Even if it is second place, like that’s awesome. And I’ve learned so much from it.”
Bryant is looking to make magic at the NCAA Preliminary Championships, and then the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She’s left an incredible legacy at Florida, one that she hopes is defined by her faith and how others can share in the joy that she has. But she also wants others to remember her as always being passionately and authentically herself.
“Off the track, and I guess on the track, passion and a disregard for embarrassment,” she said.
