By Gio Gennero | Sports Writer
For some athletes, it’s all about chasing success. Others may just love the thrill of it, but Baylor track and field’s senior sprinter Hasani Barr said he clocks in for something bigger than himself: Barr’s role model and late grandfather, James Gardner.
“I realized it was more than just myself that I’m doing what I’m doing for,” Barr said. “People that were really invested in my life, my journey and just rooting for me. So, that year I went to nationals and made sure I won it for him.”
Barr’s grandfather, Gardner, has been an integral part of Barr’s journey, and he said his grandpa was his biggest motivator over the years. Barr credits a lot of his success to the coaching Gardner gave him.
At just the age of nine, Barr said his mother decided to take Barr and his siblings to the track just to get them out of the house. After liking what they saw, Gardner traveled over multiple states to become Barr and his siblings’ full-time coach.
“He was there from day one, right by my side,” Barr said. “He always dedicated so much of his time to us, picking up my brothers and I from school to go train. He’s the one who always wanted me to come to Baylor, but never forced me to do anything I didn’t want. He let me be me.”
When the St. Louis, Mo., native was younger, his grandfather got sick and was hospitalized. Barr recalled visiting Gardner in the hospital and a conversation shared between the two that helped Barr fall in love with the sport. He said after this conversation, he had a different mindset when it came to running.
“I was 13 and I went to visit him, and he was like, ‘I’m proud of you and your brothers. It’s been real fun training you and seeing you develop into a young man,’” Barr said. “He was speaking in a way like, this the last thing he’ll tell me, you know? I’m scared and he’s saying he’s scared and all he could think about is seeing me and my brothers become great young men.”
Barr went on to win nationals in the seventh grade. The 2023 NCAA Indoor Championship Finalist in the 400M run would go on to continue to win big at every level, but he underwent another gear shift when Gardner unfortunately passed.
Barr said he carries his grandfather’s will and passion with him everyday as he continues to work toward bigger things.
“He was my best friend, my mentor,” Barr said. “It was unexpected when he passed, and I was just lost. I wasn’t even me, I was gone. Then I started thinking about everything he would say, and everything we did and didn’t accomplish. I realized I have to finish what we started.”
As the team continues pushing forward, head coach Michael Ford said he’s not surprised to see Barr have the success that he’s had. Ford said it’s a testament to the work Barr has put in on and off the track.
“He’s just growing up,” Ford said. “As you get to your junior [and] senior years you see more urgency, so I’m proud of the things he’s accomplished. It’s just about trusting the process and believing in himself.”
