Jameen Mathews Races To Bronze Medal At World Meet Held In Sweden

MADISON- In just four years’ time, Jameen Mathews has made major strides from being a novice track athlete to become one of the top sprinters in America. She is ranked No. 8 in the 100 meter and No. 9 in the 200 meter sprints among the Masters Age 45 division and recently participated in a world event where she showcased her talents.

Mathews was on the sports’ biggest stage when she traveled to Gothenburg, Sweden for the 2024 World Masters Athletics Championships where she competed in both the 100 and 200 meter sprints and was a member of the U.S. 4×100 relay team which posted a bronze medal winning time of 52.61 seconds.

“The U.S. team manager chose the four of us to run the relay,” said Mathews, who ran the relay’s first leg with a 12.70 split. “We had just one day of practice with the competition the very next day. I knew them from nationals and world events. We had to learn one another the day before the race as we had to maximize our practice time working on the relay portion of the race.”

Following Mathews first leg were Diane Essilfie, Nicole Luke and Cynthia McNamee. The four Americans were among the more than 8,000 participants representing 111 countries in the games.

Participating in basketball and softball as a young girl, Mathews did attempt some track events while in middle school, but chose not to partake in sports once in high school. She would have her first of her three children in her senior year of school and was unable to attempt to run track at that point or in college. It wasn’t until the time of the COVID pandemic did she get back on the track at the encouragement of her husband of almost four years, Carlos, who, himself, is an outstanding track athlete on the national and world stages as he currently holds three National Championships in the Master’s Division of track and field.

Mathews entered her first competitive races in 2021 after being coached by Carlos and workout partners at Phase Three Gym and at Willpower Strength and Conditioning. She and Carlos train on the outdoor track at Bob Jones High each Saturday and Sunday mornings. Mathews also trains at a newly renovated outdoor track located just inside the confines of Redstone Arsenal on Patton Road.

As for my style of running, I’m a better starter as my reaction time is good at the start of a race and I work on that aspect a lot,” said Mathews, 46. “I focus on maintaining my speed throughout the race.”

For a few years Mathews participated in some fun run races with her ex-husband, but nothing competitive. What she’s most proud of is the fact she had the opportunity to run with one daughters, Janae Hilliard, who ran in high school and later for U.A.H. Hilliard later transferred to the University of Alabama, but is not participating in track.

In her individual events Mathews has a personal best time of 29.34 in the 200 and 13.67 in the 100. In the Sweden competition, she finished No. 25 out of 120 total runners in the 100 and No. 31 in the 200 also among 120 competitors. Earlier this summer at the U.S. Nationals held in July in Sacramento, Cal., Mathews earned a bronze medal in the 100 meter.

Competing in both the 40 and 45 age groups she excelled in numerous events including the 60 and 200 meters in the indoors competition and her specialties of 100 and 200 meters in the outdoors events. Her impressive achievements showcase her versatility and dedication to the sport, making her a standout athlete in her age group.

Her trip to Sweden included traveling with a friend she met in the masters track program and is a Master Sgt. in the U.S. Army. Once in Sweden, many of the U.S. athletes visited the host city, ate at local restaurants, attended a team social and visited a few sites around the immediate area. The 10-day trip featured Mathews having to overcome jet lag once arriving in Gothenburg causing her to post her slowest times in two years. Local weather conditions were not the most favorable as some strong winds and light rain prevailed during several days of the competition.

Mathews is the Director of Operational Enablement of Pearson Virtual School where she manages to the workforce through operations support. Also, two nights a week, she is an adjunct professor at Alabama A&M where she teaches the Principles of Management as she is a Doctor of Business Administration.

The memorable relay race was certainly an interesting event for the bronze medal winning team as one of the original chosen participants had to run in her individual event at an adjacent facility, so the team reached up to the 55 age group for a replacement in Luke. She had never attempted a race under 800 meters or participated in a relay situation. Despite the oddness of the relay team, true determination and being focused as elite athletes pulled enormous efforts out of each of the four runners good enough for a bronze medal on a national stage.