She wins, We go: Aaliyah Butler's Olympic Recap and Support System

Not long ago, we talked with University of Georgia track star Aaliyah Butler about her path from starting track to qualifying for the Olympics. Now, she’s back in Georgia as an Olympic gold medalist.

Butler said she enjoyed exploring Paris and the Olympic Village.

"I really liked the village. There was a lot of stuff to do there. There's a whole grocery store and little coffee shops...then I kind of went outside the village to this big mall, and kind of walked the streets," Butler said. "And I went to the stores and restaurants. After that, I just spent most of my time in the village and on the track."

Butler said her favorite part of the trip was being around and meeting other athletes in the village. Team USA had its own track and field facility separate from the other teams, but all the athletes could gather during meals and training.

"It was very fun being there and talking to other people that play (various) sports," Butler said. "What I didn't like, I guess, (was) the time zone (difference), but I got used to the over time."

Although Butler didn't get the times she wanted in the 400 meter and the 4x400 meter, she said her mindset was to get there and run her race, but keep the perspective of her journey in mind to grow through the process.

"That (running her race) was my mindset, my plan. And also just have fun and don't worry about everyone else... (UGA) Coach Caryl (Smith-Gilbert) was just telling me, I'm young, I still have more years to go... and I shouldn't be putting a lot of pressure on myself or 0n anything," Butler said.

With that mindset, Butler was able to play a big part in helping her team qualify for the final to achieve the gold medal in the 4x400 meter alongside her teammates, whom Butler said she enjoyed getting to know through her time in Paris.

Visit: https://www.nbcolympics.com/videos/medal-ceremony-womens-4x400m-relay-teams to see her accept the Gold.

Butler's god-parents Wane and Valerie Hailes, owners of the Courier-Eco Latino, traveled down to Paris to support Butler.

"We were watching her on TV for the semi-final and we said, if she makes it to the Olympics, we're going," said Wane Hailes.

Valerie Hailes said they couldn’t go to Oregon to watch her qualify due to another commitment for their grandchild. However, once Butler secured her spot, they were determined to make it to Paris.

"It was like the whole family decided at the same time," Valerie Hailes said. "We could not let her go to Paris without any support."

Having known Butler's mom, Lashelle, since she was young and watching Aaliyah from an early age, the Haileses witnessed Butler’s growth in her sport and her determination to succeed.

"We've seen the potential. I know her parents kept pushing her. And I think, as she was going further and further, she started seeing it," Valerie Hailes said. "She (Butler) grew to like track, but track wasn't something that she really wanted to do. As she kept winning and seeing, then things started changing."

The couple said the Olympic experience was a great one.

"We saw a lot of people from the United States and people from Atlanta," Wane said. "Every time somebody saw somebody who looked like they were from the USA if we had USA shirts or whatever, everybody came up to each other and was like, 'Hey, you're from the USA.' That was fun."

Valerie Hailes said the camaraderie and atmosphere around the stadium and the area were special, but it didn't compare to the moment they realized Butler had secured her spot, earning the whole family a trip to Paris to cheer her on.

"I was crying!" she said. " I was yelling and crying. Oh my gosh! Just to know that she won. Yeah, it was exciting."

"I've watched the Olympics for years and years; and you see all these people: Allison Felix, Gabby Thomas, Michael Johnson, Carl Lewis, and now we can say, 'man, we have an Olympian in the family.' That's huge," Wane Hailes said. " It's something that you can't take away from her."

Overall, Butler's main takeaways from the experience were to have fun, focus on yourself, and listen to your coach. With her family's love and support, she's ready to make strides in the upcoming indoor and outdoor seasons, with hopes of competing in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Until then, however, the question is, what's next for Butler?

Starting the school year off as a gold medalist, Butler has her head leveled and focused on the upcoming tasks at hand.

"(I'm) definitely just focused more on the collegiate season and eventually trying to win some national titles. Also, a team title with my team, because we definitely could do it with all the new girls on our team. So I think we can pull it off for indoors and outdoors," Butler said.