Olympians train, pause to greet admirers
CLERMONT
Olympians train, pause to greet admirers
FRANK JOLLEY | Sports Editor
frankjolley@dailycommercial.com
The national pride that is the Olympics was on full display Wednesday at the Nation-al Training Center track.
More than 25 potential Olympians took a break from their daily training routine for a meet-and-greet ceremony with area fans.
The ceremony allowed the public to interract with standouts like sprinter Tyson Gay, Justin Gatlin and Damu Cherry-Mitchell, and to allow the athletes to be recognized for their achievements with the Summer Olympics in London less than 100 days away.
"This is a big deal for all of us," said Gay, holder of the American record in the 100 meters (9.69 seconds). "It seems like track and field is at or near the bottom of the barrel in America. To have fans turn out for something like this to thank us, wish us well, or just to get an autograph makes us feel better about the work we're doing.
"Knowing that people appreciate our goals and our effort helps us to get through those long training sessions."
One of the "coaches" was Joel Brown, who is vying for a spot on Team USA as a hurdler. Brown cheered on many of the preschool-aged hurdlers and helped several, lifting them over the hurdles when they needed assistance.
"This is so much fun," Brown said. "We've working hard and this gives us a chance to relax. For the kids, this is play time and just being around them helps to put things back in focus.
"Seeing these kids smile and laugh is a shot in the arm for me."
Even coaches -- who talk mostly about the importance of training and try to keep distractions to a minimum -- feel that Wednesday's activities can have a positive impact on their athletes.
Dennis Mitchell, who won a gold medal in the 4x100 relay at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, believes that an afternoon spent with fans can help athletes who train mostly by themselves.
Mitchell is a coach at the NTC, as well as with his own club, Star Athletics. He is married to Cherry Mitchell.
"A lot of our athletes begin to feel isolated as time goes on," Mitchell said. "Track is an individual sport and they don't have a lot of time to meet with the public. Sometimes, that's a good thing, but it does create a lot tense situations. Now, they get to see that the public does appreciate what they're doing and how hard they're working. Training for the Olympics is lonely and not always a lot of fun.
"Having a day like this helps to recharge their batteries. For many of them, this might be their last chance to truly relax until after the Olympics."
The athletes, however, weren't the only group walking away from the event feeling better about themselves. Many of the more than 200 residents who spent the afternoon with the Olympic hopefuls gained a different perspective about a group of athletes who lack the visibility that is given to football, basketball and baseball stars.
Shaking the hand of a potential gold medalist, or getting an autograph, or just taking time to wish them luck in London was a chance many couldn't pass up.
"These athletes are working to earn a spot on their country's Olympic team," said Fred Rodgers of Clermont. "In the world of sports, there is no higher honor than representing your country. No championship ring can outshine a gold medal."
Friday, April 27, 2012 - www.dailycommercial.com/042712oly