Heptathlon star Anna Hall, right, poses with Gators assistant coach Mellanee Welty at last week's UF Student-Athlete Graduation Celebration at the Hawkins Center. (Photo: Jordan Perez/UAA Communications)
Hall Strives to Continue on Path That Helped Her Soar at UF
Thursday, December 14, 2023 | Women's Track and Field
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By: Daniel Chaiet, FloridaGators.com Student Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Anna Hall is many things. A national champion with the Gators. The reigning U.S. champion in the women's heptathlon. And the silver medalist at last summer's World Championships in Hungary
But first, Hall became the definition of a warrior. She had to overcome a broken Navicular bone in her left foot and fight her way back onto the track to compete for a spot in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Although Hall's career did not begin with the Florida Gators, the 22-year-old will graduate as one this semester after transferring from the University of Georgia.
Hall was named to the 2020 All-SEC Second Team Indoors and 2020 SEC All-Freshman Team Indoors (pentathlon) at Georgia. However, Hall was working toward even bigger goals athletically, academically, and professionally.
Hall decided to transfer to UF after a coaching change.
"The University of Florida is a prestigious institution, especially the business school," she said at last week's UAA Student-Athlete Graduation Celebration. "It was not an easy task, so I am proud that I finished my degree. I know my parents are really happy about it."
Hall is a general business major at UF and is participating in this weekend's commencement ceremonies at the O'Connell Center. Although not in her immediate plans, Hall is also considering coming back to school and getting her master's in business administration when her professional career on the track concludes.
Florida was the perfect destination for Hall, a university with elite academics, a stellar track team and exceptional weather, which led Hall to discover her next challenge.
After she arrived at UF, Hall hit the ground running. She brought home several NCAA championships, USTFCCCA All-American honors as well as All-SEC awards. But maybe she already saw that coming when she arrived on campus in 2021.
"I think that the people you are around make a lot bigger difference than I thought," Hall said. "And I was shocked when I got to Florida just how supportive everybody was of anything that you wanted to do, whether it was on the track or in the classroom."
To set a good example for the freshmen, Hall pushed herself on and off the track.
While Hall has completed her collegiate eligibility is no longer a member of Florida's team, she still trains alongside her former teammates. She wants to give back and be a resource for the younger team members as past teammates were for her.
"It was hard for me when I was a freshman, too," she said. "I think it was honestly more beneficial for me than anything."
Anna Hall at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, in August. (Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
A native of Highlands Ranch, Colo., Hall recognized that dedication and hard work were required for success, and she demonstrated this to her teammates every day.
But working hard and playing hard is not something new to Hall.
Her father, David Hall, was a three-sport athlete at the University of Michigan. He played quarterback for the football team, point guard for the basketball team, and competed in the decathlon. Her older sisters, Kathryn and Julia, played tennis and ran track at their father's alma mater.
As the third of four sisters, Anna wanted to follow in the footsteps of her older siblings but also beat them in competitions. Growing up in the Hall household was very competitive, and everyone tried their best in school and sports. The Halls tried to outwork any competitor.
This is what led to Hall always being the most prepared athlete on the track. Her focus and dedication inspired everyone around her to exert a little more effort.
Hall is now prepared for the next phase of her life as a member of Team USA heading into the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
"The goal is to win in Paris. We have a good shot at being on the medal podium, hopefully at the top," she said. "Everyone that goes to the Olympics wants to be on the top of the podium. But that is definitely what we are eyeing."
Hall has visited Paris before, most recently in June 2022. She watched the construction of the Olympic Stadium, the venue where she hopes her Olympic dreams come true.
As she prepared to finish her UF degree, Hall had one last message for the underclassmen.
"Keep going. Our track team at Florida has such a special culture that you really cannot find anywhere else and everybody on the team uplifts each other," she said. "Almost everyone on the team wants to go professional or make an Olympic team. So just keep leaning into that and keep moving forward."
Hall is immensely thankful that she was able to find her best friends, a lifetime of memories, and a great support system for her professional career following her move from Athens to Gainesville.
"I am so grateful that I got to be a small part of the Gator community. Being a Florida Gator has opened up a world of opportunity for me," she said.
Hall's fellow Gators will be watching and cheering for her to reach the top of the podium in Paris.
