Quanera Hayes, who graduated from Gray’s Creek High School in Hope Mills, will compete with Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics after winning the women’s 400-meter run at the recent U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Ore.
Hayes, who will compete in the Olympics for the first time, will run in the 400-meter with two others from Team USA, Allyson Felix and Wadeline Jonathas July 23 to Aug. 8.
Hayes was born in South Carolina but moved to Fayetteville as a freshman at Gray’s Creek; she went on to compete at Livingstone College in Salisbury.
Hayes, who has earned gold medals for the United States in the 4×400 relay, also brought home medals from world championships and world relays in 2017. She also was the world indoor champion in 2016 and 2018.
Hayes will compete with her son Demetrius watching; she and Felix both gave birth to children in 2018.
"Coming back was very tough," Hayes said for CBS 17 in Raleigh. "I had to learn how to run all over again. I couldn't come out of blocks, my stride was different. I would do one run in practice and I would just stop because it would just hurt and I would get discouraged because I wasn't hitting my times."
This is the first year of the Veteran Business Expo, and it grew out of Fayetteville PWC’s Economic Impact Program, which focuses on expanding access and opportunity in public-sector contracting while strengthening the local economy. It builds off th
Lynlene Apiary and Crafts is owned and operated by mother-daughter duo Carolyn Kleinert and Jolene Kleinert. They are certified apiarists and sell honey, candles made with beeswax, soaps and other crafts at local farmers markets. Photos by GFBJ.Lynle
Big T’s has been a local favorite of Hope Mills since 2000 when Timmy (Big T) and Donna Gray first opened right on Hope Mills Lake. It is a seasonal restaurant, so many of Big T’s loyal customers were happy to hear they would now be open year-round, seven days a week.
