Competing for Jamaica despite being born in the Keystone State, Leah Nugent qualified for the finals of the 400-meter hurdles at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, finishing sixth overall with a personal best time of 54.45.

Nugent was the 2011 Gatorade Track and Field Athlete of the Year in Southeastern Pennsylvania during her senior year at Abington High School.

“Words can’t describe how grateful I am for all the blessings and lessons I received on this journey,” she said. “This was my first Olympics, and to walk away the sixth fastest 400-meter hurdler in the world is outstanding, looking at where I was a few years ago.”

Collegiately, Nugent competed at Virginia Tech, before transferring to Kentucky. Now a professional, she is a volunteer assistant coach in Lexington.

The 23-year-old Nugent ran personal bests in the semifinals (54.98) and final. She was briefly disqualified in the heats for what was deemed to be a trail-leg violation, but she was soon reinstated upon appeal.

Her father was born in Jamaica, as well as her paternal grandparents.

“My dad is from Kingston,” she said, “so this is where my blood is, and it just feels great to make my family proud.”