Track community remembers Trinity Gay six years after her death
LEXINGTON, KY (WTVQ) – The Lexington track and field community is remembering budding track star Trinity Gay almost seven years after the 15-year-old was killed during a shooting at a Cook Out in Lexington.
The sixth Annual Trinity Gay Classic gave the community a chance to remember Gay by doing what she loved the most; running.
“It’s really great to know that this many people can show out for her, support her and try to run the times that she ran,” said Savannah Daughtery, who runs for the Lexington Blazin’ Cats team.
“She loved this sport. This was her number one sport. We always want to keep it fun. We never want to keep it serious. They do have a goal, but at the end of the day it’s about being happy,” said Shoshana Boyd, Trinity’s mother.
The event featured athletes of all ages competing in hurdles, sprinting and the long jump. Group after group of athletes took their marks and ran out of the blocks at the sound of the starting gun.
“We’ll see how we’re going to do. Hopefully personal records,” said Daughtery. “It’s just fun to be out here running and everyone is going to do their best today.”
Every race is a part of a healing process for the community. For Trinity’s father, Olympic sprinter Tyson Gay, his own way of doing that has led him to attend the event for the first time ever.
“It’s my first time here. I used to have a fear of coming to stuff like this because I didn’t want to remember any bad things. But, now I’m trying to move forward and be an inspiration to other kids coming up after her,” said Tyson Gay.
The event cost $20 for each person to attend and all the proceeds go to the Lexington Stryders Club, a youth track and field team. The group will use the money to register its athletes for upcoming competitions.
Trinity’s mother says that she wants to continue her daughter’s legacy by giving back.
“I want to continue to go on every year if that’s possible. I just want everybody to come out and have a good time,” said Boyd.
