Florence Joyner or Coco Gauff? Whose sport do you think Coco Gauff’s mother is inclined towards? The answer may not be obvious. Separated by decades and sports, there’s little that might seemingly connect Joyner and Coco Gauff. But history is a mean comic, often pulling strings out of nowhere to connect people across time, space, and lives.

The reigning US Open women’s champion, Coco Gauff, has made headlines with her maiden Grand Slam victory. But now she has a new competitor, for hogging the limelight is none other than her own mother. Candi Gauff was a track and field prodigy in her own right while she was in college. But how did her athletic career suddenly re-surge, almost thirty years later?

Candi Gauff’s athleticism discussed following Coco Gauff’s victory

Following in the footsteps of Florence Griffith Joyner, Candi Gauff had clinched a hoard full of achievements under her name. During her college days, the former athlete managed to win the Florida State Championship in the heptathlon event at Atlantic High School and was also awarded the Sun-Sentinel Track Athlete of the Year for two consecutive years. The athlete also has a college-level record under her name, as her 1991 performance is still one of the best-recorded scores in Florida State University athletics history.

On September 11, an account called ‘Track and Spice’ posted an interesting little factoid on X (Twitter). According to the tweet, “Coco Gauff’s mother, Candi Gauff (Odom), was a great heptathlete for Florida State University in the late 80s.”

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The tweet also had a picture of the tennis star’s mother jumping over a hurdle while representing her college track and field team at Florida State University.

Interestingly, not just Gauff’s mother, the tennis star’s father, Corey Gauff, is also a professional athlete. In college, Corey Gauff played basketball while representing Georgia State University. Now, following in her parents’ footsteps, Coco Gauff has left no stone unturned to reach the pinnacle in her beloved arena of tennis.

In an interview with ‘The New York Times’, the tennis star’s father pulled off the curtains from his athletic vocation and how it helped Coco in her career.

Gauff’s father helped her become a tennis icon: “Meet your kid where they are”

Cheers erupted in the stands when Coco Gauff stood atop the podium and lifted her US Open title. She not only bagged the triumph but also took home regards and encomiums from her fandom. However, the 19-year-old tennis star credited the major chunk of her success not only to her unwavering dedication but also the staunch support of her parents throughout her journey.

The 19-year-old’s father, Corey Gauff, in an interview with ‘The New York Times’ stated, “I think it helps parents when they have played in high school, college, or even pro. You better understand the process, so you don’t get too jittery about it.” He further added, “You don’t feel like you’re running out of time, so you are not rushed. You kind of meet your kid where they are.”

Both Candi Gauff’s athletic career and Corey Gauff’s basketball career have helped Coco to take home the victory. Candi and Corey Gauff never shy away from extending their support to Coco in her endeavors and stand proudly in the stands when Coco clinches triumph through her extraordinary performances.

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