When DeMiracle Washington was younger, she used to love playing in the band. As a child she would sit in front of the TV watching sports with her parents. Riding through South Carolina, she would listen as her parents reminisced about their track careers. However, one day in seventh grade her world seemed to stop. In 1999, her father had finally lost his battle with prostate cancer.
“When my father passed away, it kind of put my head on the right way,” Washington said. “I was always kind of dependent. After he passed, I realized what steps I needed to take and what I needed to do to be successful.”
Even so, Washington, now a senior standout on the women’s track and field team, realizes without her mother’s support, she might not have made it to where she is today.
“My mom is my hero,” Washington said. “She’s a very strong woman. She pretty much raised me by herself since my father passed away. She has given me a lot of motivation throughout my career.”
Ironically, Washington entered the world as a wonderful surprise and motivation for her parents.
“My mom wasn’t able to have kids at the time when her and my father first got married,” Washington said. “Then, one day she went to the doctor, and they said she was going to have a girl, and that’s me, DeMiracle.”
Washington also proved to be a gem for N.C. State. The Wolfpack snagged her last year from Coastal Carolina. Last Saturday, Washington recorded a career-best in the long jump with a distance of 19 feet. She now places sixth on State’s all-time list for the long jump.
“I’m glad I made the choice to come to State,” Washington said. “It has always been a dream of mine to go to a big competitive school so that I can improve myself and watch others’ technique as well.”
Last season at the ACC Outdoor Championships, Washington posted an eighth-place finish in the triple jump and a tied for ninth in the long jump.
“Placing in the ACC has been my biggest accomplishment so far. Last year some Miami girls, a couple of girls from Florida State, and a girl from Clemson all gave me some trouble,” she said. “They have some good jumpers in the ACC that really gave me a run for my money.”
Through her success, Washington has realized how much the support of her teammates and colleagues means.
“I love hanging with my track friends,” Washington said. “I love my track girls to death.”
One of her far-reaching goals is to make it pro in jumping.
“I hope that with the faith I have and the training that I’ve been going through that I’ll be able to take it to another level one day,” Washington said.
Even with her competitive nature, Washington still likes to enjoy herself while running.
“Even though track and field can be an intense sport, it should be fun,” she said. “Because if it’s not fun, why do it?”
By the numbers: DeMiracle Washington2 seasons with N.C. State8th-place finish in triple jump at ACC outdoor championships in 200710th-place finish in triple jump at ACC indoor championships in 200731st-place finish in triple jump at NCAA RegionalsSource: N.C. State Athletics
DeMiracle Washington BioAge: 21Hometown: Columbia, S.C.Major: SpanishYear: SeniorSpecialties: long jump, triple jumpPrevious School: Coastal CarolinaSource: N.C. State Athletics
