And finally, the cover story. The highlighted piece in our second issue of TrackSide was the interview with world class sprinter Justin Gatlin (conducted twice..LOL).
The timing was certainly right on this one. In spite of being 31, (considered a wee bit old for a sprinter), Gatlin won his first five races this year, beat Usain Bolt, and then placed runner-up in the 100 meters at last weekend's US Track and Field Championships, thus earning a spot on the American team heading to the World Championships in Moscow in early July.
But, as you can read in the article, Gatlin's rebirth as a runner shadows the gains he has made as an overall athlete, father, and to a degree, ambassador of his sport. And away we go.....
For Justin Gatlin, the 2013 outdoor season is not the
next step of a “comeback.”
Questioned about a working title for his
professional career since 2010, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist in the 100-meter
dash was quick to reply, “I like to think of it more as my next chapter.”
Gatlin’s
recent upward spiral has been astonishing, and some aspects are unknown to many
track fans. Three years ago, he was competing at meets in smaller countries,
but harbors positive feelings about the beginning of his current journey. “I like that I started in places like Estonia
and Morocco. It was a way of giving back. We, as track athletes, have diehard
fans everywhere, but there are a lot of people who don’t get to see us run
during a season.” Fast forwarding to the present, he added, “even now, I like
to start the season by running in some smaller meets.”
The new
chapter reached a lofty plateau in early 2012 when he stunned the track world
by winning the 60-meter dash at the World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.
Commenting on his feeling that day, Gatlin said,
“Up to
that point, it seemed like people had written me off. When I crossed the line,
it was the first time (since returning) that I felt like I had arrived.”
Gatlin’s
reintroduction to track has been fast and furious. He won the 100 meters at the
2012 Olympic trials, with a time of 9.80, a then-personal best. It was also the
fastest time ever run by someone 30 years or older.
Following
the race, Gatlin’s three year son Jace joined his father for a victory lap
around the Hayward Field track. The picture of young Jace holding the American
flag while cradled in his dad’s right arm was worthy of coverage in the New
York Times and other news outlets.
Becoming
a father has Gatlin viewing his career from a new perspective.
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