Mario Lowe Sr. grew up on the Space Coast of Florida, excelling as an athlete in multiple sports. In high school is when his potential in track and field stood out, granting him opportunities as part of FSU’s competitive jump team. He would excel at FSU winning multiple conference championships, collecting All-American honors, and was the team captain of the first ACC Conference championship team in FSU history. After graduating, he would go on to compete in the 2004 Olympic Trials.

It was at the ‘04 Trials that he would see his future wife make her first Olympic Team. Just over a year later, they would be married and frolicking around the world, training together. Due to his attention to detail and acute technical eye, Lowe would be added to his wife’s coaching team as her “European Circuit” coach. In 2009, Mario was on the cusp of a breakout season and accomplishing his dream of becoming one of the world’s top triple jumpers while competing with his wife on the world’s professional circuit. A few days after jumping the furthest leap of his life, he tore his ACL.

It was during this tragedy that God would reveal Mario’s love for coaching. While rehabbing after surgery, he would coach his wife to her first American record in the high jump and help all his high school jumpers earn athletic scholarships to college. He began to see that he could use the platform of coaching not only to change lives but also to share his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

He is currently an educator at Faith Christian Academy and is the head track and field coach for middle and high school. He uses the platform of track and the knowledge he’s been given to share Christ with his athletes and their parents. Through his passion for seeing students grow in their love for Jesus Christ, he established a year-round training program and summer track club to gain more opportunities to build relationships through fellowship and the love of sports.

Click to learn more or donate to Mario's Ministry Project, Orlando Athletic Club.