Kentucky track and field’s golden girl is set to shine on the Olympic stage once again. Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, who blazed her way to glory for UK from 2015-18, has been tapped to carry Puerto Rico’s flag at the Paris Games’ opening ceremony.
The Puerto Rico Olympic Committee made it official last Thursday, pairing Camacho-Quinn with wrestler Sebastián Rivera to lead the island’s contingent into the Parisian spotlight on July 26th.
For Camacho-Quinn, it’s more than just a walk around the track. “This is huge,” she told Primera Hora, her voice brimming with pride. “Carrying the ‘Monoestrellada’ isn’t just an honor, it’s a dream I didn’t even know I had.”
The former Wildcat is no stranger to making history. Her 100-meter hurdles gold in Tokyo was Puerto Rico’s first-ever Olympic title, a feat that’s turned her into a national icon.
But Camacho-Quinn isn’t resting on her laurels. With World Championship hardware and a Central American and Caribbean Games gold added to her collection, she’s laser-focused on defending her crown in Paris.
“The goal is simple,” she stated. “Bring home another gold for Puerto Rico.”
Mark your calendars, track fans. August 7-10 could see another chapter of Kentucky-made Olympic history unfold on the hurdles in Paris. Camacho-Quinn may have traded Wildcat blue for Puerto Rico’s red, white, and blue, but she’s still making the Bluegrass State proud on the world’s biggest stage.
