You can find it along California State Route 99 in Fresno. The banner, with red, white and blue colors, stretches across the siding of a gray building. On the left side of the design, in front of a U.S. flag, there’s a giant image of Jenna Prandini‘s face. This, however, is just the start.

Drive through Gibson Avenue in nearby Clovis, California, and you’ll see more. House after house, matching signs have become common, almost as if it’s a political movement. Initially, there were 100 signs donated to the Prandini family, but they’ve already run out. The other day, the Clovis mayor asked Prandini’s mother, Theresa, for a sign of his own.

“Go Jenna Go!” they read. “Tokyo 2020.”

As Prandini heads to her second Olympics, the former Oregon Ducks star sprinter has become a figure whom her community — both near and far — has unmistakably embraced with admiration. Beyond the signs, some of Prandini’s elementary school teachers are in a Facebook group where they share bits of news and videos of her progress. Even her crosstown rival high school’s track coaches went to watch her at the 2016 trials.

This is a product of who Prandini is. Theresa describes her as “friendly” but “not loud about it.” Growing up, she’d hang out with anyone in her neighborhood, no matter their age. Prandini used to paint pictures in the garage with a neighbor who was more than 60 years older than her. The pictures are still there all these years later.

To her nieces and nephews, she’s known as “tee tee,” short for auntie.

And tee tee always spoils her nieces and nephews. She talks to them almost every day. She takes them miniature golfing and rents bounce houses. She once bought a stuffed unicorn the size of a Great Dane for one of her nieces.

Even at a young age, Prandini’s loyalty to those around her was the same. When Prandini was in kindergarten, Theresa had breast cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy. A young Prandini sat in the bedroom chair and didn’t want to leave her mother’s side for six months.

“People have just been attracted to her and appreciate the type of person and athlete that she is,” Theresa said.

But throughout her life, Prandini’s community has shaped her, as much as she’s shaped them.

“I’m just thankful for all the people that I have in my life,” Prandini said. “Throughout my whole athletic career, I’ve been blessed with such a crazy, crazy good support system.”

From becoming a track star at Clovis High School to a national champion at the University of Oregon to fighting through an injury-riddled professional career, Prandini has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in both the 100- and 200-meter events. She also could be a part of the 4×100 relay.

There has never been doubt whether she has the support or the talent to get there. The lasting question, though, is whether her potential will ever be fully realized.

“I just want to be someone for other girls to look up to and show them that you can do it too,” Prandini said.

• • •

From a young age, Prandini’s speed was evident. While playing soccer in kindergarten, she was so fast and scored so many goals that they moved her back to defense so other kids would have a chance.

In third grade, she frequently dusted the sixth graders. Soon, they didn’t want to race her anymore at the risk of being repeatedly embarrassed. Athletes such as Mia Hamm and Allyson Felix became an inspiration to her.

By the time she got to Clovis High School, she was a two-sport star, before ultimately giving up volleyball after high school. On the track, she steadily improved each year. During her senior year, she won state championships in the 100, 200 and long jump.

Prandini had as much success off the track, carrying about a 4.2 GPA, Theresa recalled. Prandini was the student body president. She was the homecoming queen. She had lots of friends.

During track road trips in high school, Prandini was always known for playing one joke. When they’d eat at a restaurant, she’d tell the server that it was one of their coaches’ birthdays. Inevitably, the restaurant staff would come out and sing “Happy Birthday” at every meal. The team thought it was hilarious.

“Everybody loved Jenna,” her high school coach Greg Frieson said.

Her willingness to support others remained when she got to Oregon. One year, a Ducks teammate was driving home when a rock smashed through the windshield, breaking her teeth and causing her to crash. Even though it was the middle of the night, Prandini immediately went to the hospital to be with her teammate. Eventually, Prandini’s coaches told her she should go home and rest. But Prandini insisted. She stayed for two days until her teammate’s mother showed up.

The exception to Prandini’s personality was spurred by her competitiveness. At big meets, she didn’t like talking to anyone, so she could focus. Whether she won or lost, she always looked back at videos to see how she could improve. One time, after a race was canceled because of rain, she practiced on the wet track anyway.

But that same mentality is what sometimes held her back. When she felt a twinge, she would push through it. If she had a cold, she would train anyway.

“When I have to sit out, I hate it,” Prandini said. “I hate it with my whole heart.”

This often led to injuries. When she was a freshman at Oregon, she suffered a stress fracture in her foot, forcing her to miss a majority of the season. But the following year, she bounced back, improving her mechanics and becoming a three-event All-American. In 2014, her profile continued to rise as she became a national champion in the long jump while also winning The Bowerman, collegiate track’s most prestigious award.

After that, Prandini signed with Puma and turned pro. She was touted as the future of women’s track and field in America. She ran alongside Usain Bolt in a celebrity relay.

Her career, though, has been riddled with inconsistency. She made the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 200, ultimately finishing fourth in her semifinal heat. But a year later, she suffered another stress fracture in her foot and was barely able to put any weight on it. In 2019, it happened again. Also that year, she fractured her shoulder after a box split from under her while she was lifting weights.

Recovering from her foot injuries brought one of the biggest challenges for Prandini: having to rest for six weeks. During that recovery, she spent time with her friends and family.

Amid her injury as a freshman at Oregon, Theresa drove to Eugene with oatmeal cookies to cheer her up. Throughout another rehab, Prandini lived at home and Theresa would time her at the track.

“Instead of just sitting around and moping around, it was like, ‘I know the process, I know what has to be done, so I’m going to do everything that I can to stay as fit as possible,’ ” Prandini said.

• • •

For a few moments during the Olympic trials last month in Eugene, the track star became tee tee again. She saw her nieces and nephews in person for the first time in a while. She told them she’d take them to Disneyland after the Olympics.

After Prandini placed second in the 200 final, securing a spot in Tokyo, Prandini’s mother and nephew McCoy pushed their way to the bottom row at Hayward Field. Tee tee wrapped her arms around McCoy and her mother.

“I’m so proud of you,” Theresa said through tears.

Along with some other family members, they took a group picture with their “Go Jenna Go” shirts.

“My family,” Prandini said, “is my whole heart.”

Prandini is now back home training in Austin, Texas, where she has served as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Texas. Along with the 200, Prandini is also taking part in the 100 in place of Sha’Carri Richardson, who was banned for a positive marijuana test.

Prandini frequently spends time with her neighbor, training partner and fellow Olympian Keni Harrison. They eat dinner together almost daily, with Prandini preparing meals of chicken, shrimp, potatoes, rice and vegetables.

Arguably Pradini’s most difficult challenge has been listening to her body. But leading up to this Olympic run, her friends, coach and doctor have held her accountable in communicating how she truly feels physically. And Pandini has done just that. “Me and my feet have to get along,” Prandini said.

The result? She’s feeling fully healthy again. It showed in the trials when she ran a personal-best time of 21.89 in the 200 final.

In Clovis, depending on the time of Prandini’s races in the Olympics, a community watch party at a movie theater is being planned. As race day approaches, it’s just another example of why Prandini is striving for gold.

She will do it for herself. She will do it for others.