Tiana Fox: Multitalented athlete

“I was in endurance sports, cross country, and track and field before I was recruited into rowing,” USA’s Tiana Fox said Saturday on the second of three days of rowing competition at the Chengdu FISU World University Games. “And so the coaches wanted to see how that would translate to rowing, and it did. So that was good for me.”

A student from Gordon College, in the State of Massachusetts, Fox made her debut in the sport this week in Chengdu.

“I am still a track and field athlete, not at the University Games here, but at school where I compete in track and rowing. But, I didn’t know if that was a thing here, so I guess I didn’t seize that opportunity.”

She is a four-time letter winner in track and field and specializes in the distance and throws for the Sequoits. She is also a three-time conference champion and the recipient of the most improved athlete and commitment awards.

The 22-year-old expressed her feelings about the FISU Games.

“I feel excited about the Games. I like seeing different countries racing. It’s just a cool atmosphere to be in.

“There are a lot of arts and crafts in the Games Village, the food is great, hanging out with friends, meeting new people, learning about the culture, everything. Everything is fun.”

As a major, she is studying kinesiology, which is human movement.

“Well, everything here is about human movement, kind of figuring out where to go at the catch to take a full stroke and kind of just matching your body with someone else’s body while getting in a full stroke. So everything here is about human movement.

“I would describe the Games as an exciting challenge. How USA is performing, I would say, we’re fighting, we’re going down but, we are going to fight the whole way through the races.”

Fox added that she is here to create memories for her mother.

“My parents are very supportive. They’re very excited for me to have this opportunity to be here to race, to compete, have fun and have some new experiences.”

In Chengdu, Fox is competing in two events, the mixed quadruple sculls and women’s four.

WRITTEN BY HASSAN ABDULSALAM, FISU YOUNG REPORTER