Gators In Olympic Games: Eddie Lovett

Eddie Lovett won three consecutive SEC Indoor titles in the 60-meter hurdles in his collegiate career and finished second in the 110-meter hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Finals in 2013. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)

Gators In Olympic Games: Eddie Lovett

Wednesday, July 21, 2021 | Track and Field, Scott Carter, Olympics

By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Eddie Lovett was born in Miami and like many young men of his age and athletic ability, figured football was his path to athletic success.

Lovett is fast, but a broken arm in high school slowed him down on the field. He drifted into track and with the guidance of Aubrey Hill, the late Gators receiver and assistant coach, stuck with the sport when he thought about quitting.

"My 10th-grade year was actually the first time that I tried out track,'' Lovett told the St. Thomas Source recently. "When I started early in the spring I actually quit after two days … I love pushing myself but me and the coach, at the time, didn't see eye to eye. But after talking to my sister's dad, Aubrey Hill, we [Lovett and the track coach] got to build a relationship."

Lovett blossomed on the track, which led to a distinguished career with the Gators from 2011-14. He has trained with Gators head coach Mike Holloway and several UF-connected Olympians for the upcoming Tokyo Games. While he is an American citizen, Lovett has deep family ties to the U.S. Virgin Islands, where his parents are from, and spent a lot of time visiting St. Croix growing up.

Lovett turned 29 on June 25 and is preparing for his second Olympics. He competed in the 110 hurdles in the Rio Games in 2016. He is one of only four members on the Virgin Islands team along with Nicholas D'Amour (archery), and swimmers Adriel Sanes and Natalia Kuipers.

He has personal goals -- like breaking 13 seconds in his event -- and long-range ones. Lovett hopes his continued commitment to the sport and chasing Olympic dreams inspires other young athletes to do the same. He remains closely involved with the U.S. Virgin Islands Olympic Committee and perhaps some day, those on the islands have the same resources he has had at UF and in the U.S.

Lovett, Eddie (2014 NCAAs) — Prior to coming to Florida, **Eddie Lovett** was a standout performer Palm Beach Lakes High in South Florida. (Photo: **Tim Casey**/UAA Communications)

AT A GLANCE

Lovett, Eddie (2021 Olympics) — **Eddie Lovett** at a recent pre-Olympics photo shoot at UF. (Photo: Courtesy of Lovett's Facebook Page)

SPORT: Track & Field

EVENT: 110-meter hurdles

HOW HE QUALIFIED: Lovett posted a season-best time of 13.47 at the Miramar (Fla.) Invitational in April and is currently ranked 67th in the world in the event. According to the official website of the Tokyo Games, Lovett is a Universality selection to represent the U.S. Virgin Islands Olympic Team.

TOKYO SCHEDULE: The preliminary heats for the 110 hurdles start Aug. 3; Olympic Final is Aug. 5.

UF CAREER: Lovett is one of the top hurdlers to ever step foot on campus and as a freshman, earned the SEC Indoor Male Athlete of the Year award. He specialized in the 60-meter indoor hurdles but placed second in the 110 hurdles as a junior at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

NEED TO KNOW: Lovett's maternal grandfather, whose stage name was Eddie Lovette, led a singing group named "Eddie and The Tropics." The group performed around the Caribbean and at the famous Copacabana Supper Club in New York. In 1984, Lovette was named the top international male singer at the Canadian Reggae Music Awards. He died in 1998.

QUOTE OF NOTE: "It's funny because when I got to college and I started running track, I never really thought about the Olympics like that. But over time I just kind of realized that I'm actually really good." -- Lovett to the St. Thomas Source in the Virgin Islands on being an Olympian