Character of a Champion

MT on left, C in the middle, and their coach on the right.

By now you have probably surmised my nephew didn't qualify for this year's summer Olympics. I have had a hard time wanting to post this, but since I brought it up initially, I decided I better put an end to it as well.

From the world's perspective, according to what was televised. C took the lead at the 1000m out mark, He kept it until the last 100m, and that is where four runners blew by him while basically he tied up...He missed first place by 5 seconds and 3rd (the last qualifying spot) by 3 seconds. It may have appeared that he was a young inexperienced runner that didn't strategize well.

Now for the real story that will never be spoken of except for within our family and maybe a few obscure interviews.

The number 2 qualifier, MT (also a teammate of C's), and C decided that before the race that C would take the lead at the 1000m mark and then the next lap MT would relieve C, and finally on the last lap each man for himself. Well, it didn't quite work that way. MT never relieved C. He just hung back and let C do all the work, which naturally wore him out. MT says he was sore, tight and had a side ache and just couldn't move up, yet if you watch the race you can easily see that MT had it all together to qualify for the 2nd spot.

One of C's interview statements
“If the start was moderate, the plan was I would take it with three laps to go, then MT two to go, then every man for himself. I just had nothing left with 100 to go. I hammered as hard as I could, I just had nothing left. It was a terrible race. I was on the outside of lane 1, inside of lane 2 the whole race. I couldn’t get on the rail until I took the lead.”


C is doing fine, well better than the rest of the family, we are just "pissed", hurt for C and really don't trust MT anymore. He had done this to C one time in college too. I imagine with MT being C's friend, C has a tough time wrapping his mind around the whole thing.

Even though C didn't qualify, we are proud of him because he ran his heart out, did what he said he would do ( a character trait MT obviously doesn't have), and came up still looking like a champion. He is a man of character, and we couldn't be more proud!! He will spend the summer in Europe racing.