Mississippi State’s India Thorpe won praise for her hair. She wants to win on the track.

In November, Mississippi State sprinter and hurdler India Thorpe’s media day photos – and the lush Afro she wore in them – went viral.

“I was thinking about what was going to make me pop, what was going to make me stand out, and what really screamed ‘India,’” the 6-foot-1 freshman said. “That’s my hair.”

Thorpe, whose media day photos and videos have generated more than 3.6 million total views across her personal Instagram and TikTok accounts, made her collegiate track debut on Jan. 16 at the Samford Invitational in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Atlanta native started running 5K races at age 8 with her parents and her younger twin siblings, Slater and Sydney, but it wasn’t until middle school that she joined a track team. In high school, she began competing at higher levels, such as in the Adidas Track Nationals and the New Balance Nationals, and qualified for the Junior Olympics before committing to Mississippi State as a multi-event athlete in hurdles, sprint events, and the triple jump.

As the indoor track season gets underway, Thorpe spoke with Andscape about her viral moment, her background, training routine, and goals. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Did you think you were going to get that much attention from your media day photos?

Honestly, I didn’t know. … I was just going to post it regardless of what hairstyle I was wearing. Love my Afro. I was like, “You know what? We’re going to post it.” They were really cute. 

Me and my friend did a TikTok to go with it. At first, the TikTok was just for fun. We posted it, and it went viral. … People said they really loved the “naturalness,” which is something I always try to do. I was really happy with all the reactions and comments.

Olympian Junelle Bromfield commented under your post. How did that make you feel?

She is very much the queen. That was like, “Ooh, yes.” I’m not gonna lie. When I saw that, I had to call my mom. I was like, “Ma, guess who commented?” She was like, “Who?” I said, “Look.” … And then she [Bromfield] liked it, and then she left the comment. I was sitting there freaking out. So cool!

What does your hair routine consist of as an athlete?

I have a mixture of 4A/4B. I wash my hair two or three times a week because I sweat a lot as an athlete, and I don’t like a nasty scalp. After the shower, I use Aunt Jackie’s to moisturize my hair section by section. Then I use Jamaican [black castor] oil on my scalp.

Usually, I put a rubber band around it and go about my day. Every morning, if I don’t wash it, I spritz water, moisturize, oil and put it up. On days I want to blow it out, I wash, moisturize, oil, section and blow dry it. Then I take all the sections out, fluff it with a pick, and that’s my Afro.

How did you start running track and field? 

I originally started in middle school with basketball. I hated shooting, but I liked the running aspect of basketball. It wasn’t until my middle school gym teacher said, “You should run track.” At first, I was just doing it for fun, just to stay in shape. All my friends were doing it, so I did it. It really wasn’t until after my sophomore year in high school that I started taking it seriously because at that point I was top in Georgia. … I was like, “Hold up, I’m kind of good at this.”

What music do you listen to to get hype before a meet?

I usually bump rap music to get hype and [build] confidence. I listen to Kendrick Lamar a lot, and sometimes [NBA] Youngboy songs, mainly to get me focused on competing.

Are there any teammates or coaches you were especially excited to work with before coming to Mississippi State?

Coach Carjay [Lyles] did a home visit with me in Atlanta. I remember thinking I was really excited to work with him. One of the most important things for me while going on visits was finding a coach who believed I could do something and was willing to develop me. I didn’t have the best training. For me, it was about finding a coach who said they saw the potential and could develop me into something big – and one day possibly an Olympian.

How have you adapted your habits as an athlete in college?

I practice more outside of practice now. I write in a journal every single day. I’ll write what my workout was, how I felt, how my body is feeling, and how we’re doing. I just try to track everything. In my journal, I also write what I need to work on. Then I research little drills I can do to get better. … I definitely think my ambition has gotten a lot higher because we’re at the SEC level, and I’m trying to compete even as a freshman.

How has your training been going leading up to this indoor season?

The transition has been huge, but overall training has been good. During our 20-hour weeks, we train two or three times a day. Sometimes we train at 6 a.m. and then again in the afternoon with classes in between. The weight room has been a big adjustment. 

My events are the 100 [meter] hurdles, 400 [meter] hurdles, 400 [meters], triple jump, and possibly the 4×4 [relay]. I do hurdles once or twice a week. The triple jump is my main event. We also mix in running workouts. Sometimes I’ll have hurdles and then jumps. Sometimes I’ll have jumps and then hurdles. It just depends on what the coach has planned that day.

What part of practice is challenging you right now, and why?

Getting back into the rhythm of doing hurdles with both sides of my legs consistently. We were going over with our dominant side, as if we were doing 100 hurdles with the dominant leg. … I was kind of struggling a little bit. The first couple of hurdles and reps were really shaky, but as the workout continued, it got easier.

For triple jump, it’s definitely cycling. Before, I was a right-right-left jumper, but when I got to college, I became a left-left-right jumper because my right foot had some injuries. So now it’s just relearning how to triple jump on that other leg, making sure I’m cycling correctly and doing everything properly. Obviously, you’re going to get beat up sometimes because you’re still trying to relearn that side. Some days, it feels like you’re working really well, cooking through everything, and other days, you feel heavy and tired.

What’s been your toughest mental adjustment competing at this level?

Definitely being in the SEC. I’ve seen where you go from high school to college. It’s a different shift. You’re going against older people. It can definitely be intimidating. Sometimes you’re gonna get a world lead [best performance in the world] dropped on you and you’re gonna be in the same heat. It’s completely different, especially sometimes they’re going to be pros that you meet.

So for me … it’s just like, honestly, trying to focus on myself, and don’t try to compare your journey to other people because you’re gonna be competing against seniors who have been doing this for, like, four years. I’ve only been triple jumping for a year. My path is my path, and I’m just focusing on that.

What are you most excited to compete in this indoor season?

It’s a tie between the 400 hurdles and the triple jump. A lot of people think it’s crazy that I love the 400 hurdles, but I love running hurdles. I get to stretch out and use my length and stride as an advantage. Triple jump feels like you’re flying in a way – it’s just really, really fun to me. 

Do you have a quote or motto you live by?

Be consistent and don’t give up. Consistency matters in everything – practice, eating, sleep and recovery. My mom always says, “Make enough deposits so when it’s time to withdraw, you can.”

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