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The Callaway track and field team had not one, but two student-athletes announced their collegiate destination on Friday. The friendship of Markayla Moore and Dantravious Kimbrough will not end in high school as they both announced their decisions to continue running track at Columbus State University.

“When I went down there and visited, it felt like the right school for me,” Kimbrough said. 

Moore said: “When I met the coaches and went down there and visited, it felt like home.”

The two have an inseparable bond. The two visited Columbus State together, and once they both had an offer on the table, began to build a bridge between Callaway track and field and Columbus State track and field. They envisioned a pipeline between the two schools.

“What makes me so proud of them is when they went to visit CSU, they asked the coach down there if they could bring some more kids with them,” said Andre Johnson, the Callaway track and field coach. “They are looking to sign more of our athletes, and it is because they spoke up.”

These two could not come from more different track backgrounds. Moore has been running track since a very young age. She has dreamed of being a college track and field star since she first put on a numbered bib and began running.

“I really knew I wanted to run track in college during my eighth grade year,” Moore said. “This feels like a dream come true.”

Kimbrough, on the other hand, did not start running track until his junior year. Running track in college was not even something on his radar until this year, when two things happened: 1) he began taking track more seriously and 2) he began thinking about what his future might hold. 

“I didn’t know that this was the right path for me until this year,” Kimbrough said. “I started running track last year and when I started I really didn’t think I would be running track in college.

“I started to really love it and went harder than I did last year.”

While the duo’s track backgrounds differ, their skill sets are actually quite similar, both specializing in short distance running. 

“I really show out in the 400 (meter dash),” Kimbrough said. “I have really improved my short distance running a lot since last year.”

Moore said her strengths lie with the 4×100 and the 200 meter dash. 

One of the main reasons these two were presented with this opportunity was because of the support of Johnson. He has been in their corner pushing them every step of the way. 

“He can be hard on us,” Moore said with a laugh. “He has pushed me to be better every step of the way.”