Donavan Banks, former middle school robotics teacher turned elite athlete, has officially qualified for Team USA and will head to Paris to compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics. Banks secured his spot by finishing in the top three in the men’s javelin event at the recent Olympic Trials, marking a significant milestone in his athletic career.
Reflecting on his journey, Banks shared, “I couldn’t be happier about the experience. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to throw.” Despite this achievement, he remains focused and grounded, acknowledging that much work still needs to be done. “I have a lot of work left to do here. I’m working towards better rankings and being smarter in the meets I choose to perform at,” he said.
Donavan’s path to the Olympics has been anything but conventional. He was a middle school robotics teacher at Windy Hill Middle School in Lake County until he decided to leave his job last year to chase his Olympic dream. He has been training at the National Training Center, honing his skills and preparing for the global stage.
The Paris Olympics will officially kick off with an opening ceremony on July 26 and Banks is ready to showcase his talent and dedication on one of the biggest stages in sports. As he heads to Paris, the entire South Lake community will be cheering him on, inspired by his incredible journey and hopeful for his success on the world stage.
(pictures sourced from Facebook)
