Former Baylor Track Star Darryl Payne Jr. Trains to Become Team USA’s First Black Male Skeleton Athlete
Former Baylor University sprinter Darryl Payne Jr. isn’t chasing the finish line anymore, he’s chasing Olympic history. The Temple native is training to become the first African American man to represent Team USA in skeleton at the Winter Olympic Games.
Payne’s athletic journey started on the track, where he excelled as a Baylor Bear before continuing to train in Austin in hopes of qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics. But when his track dreams didn’t pan out, fate sent him down a much icier path.
“When I was about to hang up the cleats, I got a call from Team USA about a scouting camp called Next Olympic Hopeful,” Payne recalled. “They said they were looking for athletes who could try out for other sports.”
The U.S. Olympic Committee’s nationwide program identifies athletes with elite physical potential to compete in lesser-known sports like bobsled, luge, and skeleton. Payne’s speed and strength made him a standout, and though he initially trained for bobsled, he soon discovered skeleton was a better fit.
“They invited me to try out for skeleton,” he said. “After just a week, I finished second in the Rookie Push Championship.”
Now, Payne’s eyes are locked on Milan-Cortina 2026, where he hopes to make history — and change perceptions about who belongs in winter sports.
For Payne, the mission runs deeper than medals.
“I want to inspire the youth,” he said. “It’s my mission to show Black youth that there are more opportunities in sports beyond basketball, track, and football. This is bigger than me.”
If he succeeds, Payne will become the first African American man ever to represent the U.S. in skeleton, a milestone he hopes will crack open the door for future generations to glide through.
“All Olympic athletes in the U.S. are self-funded,” Payne noted, encouraging supporters to visit his website to contribute to his journey.
