"I needed to point to myself"- Twanisha “TeeTee” Terry gets real on growing beyond just being 'supportive athlete'

Twanisha “TeeTee” Terry made her feelings known after clocking two sub-10.9s times at the 2025 Star Athletics Sprint Series. She spoke about recognizing her own potential and working on the internal aspects of her performance, including mindset and confidence.

At the Star Athletics Sprint Series on Saturday, Terry performed brilliantly in the women’s 100m, clocking 10.83s in the heats (wind-assisted, +2.6) and 10.85s in the final (wind-legal, +1.2). With her swift run in the final, she not only clinched the title but also moved into the top three fastest 100m times this season, now trailing only compatriot Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (10.83s) and Olympic champion Julien Alfred (10.75s).

After this remarkable showing, in a post-race interview with Tiara Williams, she reflected on how she has evolved as an athlete, speaking about her growth beyond just being a supportive teammate. She shared:

“I've been working on a lot of small things. You know, I always talk about the mental part of the track. Everybody know I'm a supportive athlete. I point to everybody else. And I had to realize that I needed to point to myself the same way I was pointing to others. So that's really what I've really been honing in on.”

Twanisha “TeeTee” Terry further shared how she is now more intentional about becoming a better version of herself as an elite athlete by improving communication with her coach. She highlighted that she’s now able to express how she feels during training or after a race, something she previously struggled with.

Twanisha “TeeTee” Terry adds ‘author’ to her title with release of children’s book

Twanisha “TeeTee” Terry at 2024 World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images for World Athletics)

Besides her track and field accomplishments, Twanisha “TeeTee” Terry has added another major milestone to her résumé by becoming a children’s book author. She announced the release of her debut book titled TeeTee’s World Adventure, which is now available on Amazon, with the paperback edition starting at $12.99.

She shared this milestone on Instagram in April 2024, writing:

“Breaking News! As you all know, I’m a woman of many things, and now I’m adding “author” to the list! I’m beyond excited to announce the release of my very first children’s book, TeeTee’s World Adventure! It’s officially available on Amazon, so don’t wait—grab your copy today!..Let’s inspire the next generation together! 🩷📚📰”

Upon this announcement, she was congratulated by fellow track and field athletes Athing Mu, Christian Coleman, Alaysha Johnson, Jasmine Jones and Talitha Diggs among others.

Co-authored with Dennis Vanasse, Terry’s book encourages children to be curious, promotes teamwork, and highlights the joy of trying new experiences.

Edited by Abhiruchi Rout