My name is Shai-Anne Davis, and I am fueled by an 
unlived dream – a dream so meaningful, so powerful, that it has kept me pushing through the good, the bad and the ugliest of days.
When I first started running track, I truly believed that my only purpose in life was to run fast and compete in my sport at the highest level possible. I tethered my identity to my ability to not only run, but to win. My level of confidence and self-esteem ebbed and flowed with the ups and downs of my track career.
It wasn’t until I began to dig deeper into my spirituality and strengthen my faith that I realized my purpose is far greater than just my life as a sprinter. I know now that God has a divine purpose for each and every one of us, and I believe that I was put on this earth to use my own experiences, both on and off the track, to help others with what they may be dealing with in their daily lives. That realization has given me a new sense of motivation to be not only the best runner, but the best person that I can possibly be, each and every day.
But above all, my family is what keeps me motivated to keep giving my all in everything that I do. The life of a professional athlete is incredibly hectic, and they are very much what keeps me sane. If they hadn’t sacrificed all that they did for me, I would have never been afforded the opportunities and platform that I have been presented with today – opportunities like being accepted into Altis, a world-renowned athletic centre that trains elite athletes from all over the globe. Hearing that for the first time was a moment that I will never forget.
I remember calling Coach Andreas (one of the coaches from Altis that I’d worked with in preparation) one afternoon to ask a few questions about the acceptance process. I was worried that I would get denied because of how poorly I’d been running due to an injury I was battling.
He immediately assuaged my concerns. “I will just tell you now,” were his exact words. “Congratulations – you’ve been accepted into Altis!”
Tears still fill my eyes when I think back to that phone call. To have a team of amazing coaches that believe in you and your abilities, even when you’re at an all-time low, is so powerful and motivating. In that short moment, I regained all the confidence that I had lost that year. I was on top of the world!
Joining Altis meant a new beginning – not just for myself as an athlete, but as a person as well. I was given an opportunity to be in one of the best training environments for track & field, to train alongside some of the best athletes, coached by some of the best coaches in the world. God was truly on my side.
Track & Field is a sport of the unknown, where literally anything can happen at any moment at any time. The nature of our preparation requires that we push our bodies to new limits each and every day; it would be crazy to expect to not endure an injury every now and then. But what was different about my situation in 2015 was that I was the only one who believed there was something truly wrong with my toe, and after being misdiagnosed halfway through the year with an injury that I shouldn’t have even been training on, I was left at home watching the major championships on TV.
Going into my 2016 season, my mind was completely washed from everything that I had to endure in 2015. Though it is impossible to forget all that happened, I found a way to look at all the positives that came from such negative situations. Above all, I had a new outlook on life.
There was something about this year that was different from the rest. Not only was it the best season I’ve ever had, but it’s the happiest I’ve ever been. Unfortunately, what I didn’t know was that my love for the sport was going to be tested again, but this time at my Olympic trials in July. I competed to the best of my ability that weekend, and left everything that I had on the track.
I’d always known and been aware of the politics that exist within the sport, but never had to experience it – that is, until the final selection of the Olympic team. A non-finalist, who was personally coached by the Olympic relay coach, was chosen over me for the team.
Upon receiving the news, I felt betrayed, I felt embarrassed – every emotion you could imagine. There was nothing I could do but cry. After the team had been selected, my coach gathered a team to help me build an appeal on the decision. We fought as hard as we could, and with the case we had, I felt confident about getting the decision reversed and being included on the team. But it was ultimately dismissed, and just like that, my Olympic experience was taken away from me.
Out of all of this, I’ve experienced a heartbreak that I’ve never felt before, and one I hope to never experience again. But this is not the end for me – this is only the beginning! I refuse to ‘Shai’ away from my dreams, no matter the heartbreak or any obstacles standing in my way. Thank you Athletics Canada, for teaching me to fight for my dreams. This episode has shown me who has been and who remains right by my side through not just the highs, but the lows as well.
The Olympic experience for me is an opportunity, not only to compete on the highest stage in front of the world, but an opportunity to showcase my talents. In any sport, if you are not one of the best, you are fighting for a dream that only a few truly believe in. So making that Olympic team and competing at the Olympic Games to the best of my ability would be checking off one of my lifetime dreams, and one that not many get to reach. A dream that I won’t stop chasing until I reach it.
My name is Shai-Anne Davis, and I am fueled by an unlived dream.
