In the famous words of Lightning McQueen, “I am speed!”
That’s likely what Genesis “Gigi” (GEE-GEE) Reese was thinking as she sprinted her way into the record books at the GRPA 2025 Class A/B Track and Field State Championship a few weeks ago.
During its latest regular meeting held last Monday night (June 16), the Emanuel County Board of Commissioners recognized Gigi as our latest state champion, celebrating her gold-medal finish in the 12U girls 100-meter dash with a commemorative plaque and a round of well-earned applause.
She clocked in at a blazing 13.13 seconds to take the top spot, putting an exclamation point on an impressive showing in Commerce. Gigi placed on the podium in all three of her events, including the 400-meter run and the running long jump.
Perhaps most impressively, however, her gold-medal win in the 100-meter came just moments after running the 400.
“That 400 would’ve wiped me out,” said Assistant Recreation Director Mitchell Hudson, who presented Gigi with a plaque during the commission meeting. “But Gigi held her own. She ran her fastest time yet and left no doubt. It wasn’t even close. She earned every bit of that title, and we are so proud of her.”
To get to state, Gigi first competed in Emanuel County’s local meet this spring, where participants were allowed to register for up to three events. She qualified in all three and advanced to the district meet in Burke County, where she again secured top two finishes in each category. That earned her a spot representing Emanuel County and the district at the state level, where she went on to finish in the top eight statewide for all three of her events.
Gigi’s win is the first individual state championship for Emanuel County Recreation Department since the county assumed full management in July 2023. (Until then, it had operated as a joint city-county effort.) It is not, however, Gigi’s first state championship. She won two others in track and field when the recreation department was still a shared operation between Swainsboro and Emanuel County.
Recreation Director Jerry Lawson called the latest win a proud milestone.
“We’ve had some amazing kids come through this rec department, and Gigi is up there with the best of them. She won this state title through hustle and a lot of heart, and, like Mitchell said, we couldn’t be prouder. It’s a big moment for her personally, of course, but it’s also another notch in our belt, another picture to hang, another name to put on our Wall of Champions,” Lawson said. “We’re still riding high from last year’s state championships in softball. We’ve got some strong teams (in both softball and baseball) looking to make state title runs of their own this week, so Gigi becoming our first individual state champ gives us some great momentum to build on. I’ve been around recreation a long time. Being competitive like this, that’s as much as you can ask for. We’ve got a great thing going here, and it’s all thanks to our kids like Gigi.”
Gigi’s mom, Ikera Devouil, said the moment has been surreal in the best way, and it has taken a village to make her daughter so successful.
“Watching Genesis win her third state title was just as incredible as the first two. In 2021, she was the 50m state champ, in 2023 she took home the title in running long jump, and now in 2025, she’s the 100m state champ,” Devouil said. “She continues to amaze me with her determination and dedication to the sport. Being both her mom and her coach can be challenging at times, but we’ve learned how to balance those roles and keep our relationship strong on and off the track. She works extremely hard to perfect her craft. This season, she had the opportunity to train with the high school track team, which really helped take her to the next level. We’re especially thankful for Coach Dwight [Smith] and Coach Neal [David]. Their guidance, encouragement, and belief in her made a huge impact. I couldn’t be more proud of the young woman she’s becoming. And, of course, I’m also really grateful for the Emanuel County Recreation Department and all the opportunities they provide for kids like Genesis to compete, grow, and shine.”
Chairman Jim Sherrod echoed that pride as the special recognition portion of the meeting came to a close.
“When we say our job is to serve this community, we are most certainly talking about young folks like Gigi. We always love to celebrate our people at our meetings. A lot of the time, being a commissioner is all policies, budgets, and hard calls. The opportunity to honor someone, especially a member of our youth, shakes up our job in the best way,” he said. “I think I speak for all the commissioners when I say recognizing Gigi was the highlight of our June meeting. Her win represents a lot: her drive to succeed, her family and the rec department’s support, and, above everything else, the value of investing in our youth. She’s a champion both on the track and in our hearts. I can’t wait to see what she and Mr. Jerry and his staff accomplish next.”
The Emanuel County Board of Commissioners governs Emanuel County, focusing on legislative and administrative responsibilities. Comprised of representatives from five districts, the board oversees policies and programs that impact local development, budgeting, and public services. Commissioners work collectively to ensure fiscal responsibility and address community needs, collaborating with other county departments and agencies. They are committed to supporting economic growth, public safety, and community well-being across Emanuel County.
For more information about the commissioners and for the latest from the county government, visit 124 North Main Street in Swainsboro; call 478-237-3881; follow us on Facebook; or visit www.emanuelco-ga.gov.
