November 20, 2009
Boise, Idaho
Boise's next Olympic hopeful getting ready
By Nicole Navarro
BOISE - Kristin Armstrong is Boise's golden girl.
But another Boise native is about to take center stage at the Beijing Olympics - this time in track. Nick Symmonds, Bishop Kelly High School graduate, hopes to tear up the track in the 800 meter quarterfinals this week. The former BK star stole the show at the Olympic trials in Eugene earlier this summer where he was in last place at one point in the race, but then had an amazing finish and came in first. His high school coach, Tom Shanahan, talked about his former student Monday morning. "When he first came out as a kid he didn't even know if he wanted to run, but I kind of asked him to come out and give it a go," Shanahan said. The coach knew athletes like Symmonds could be few and far between. And his persistence paid off. "After about a month of training he was already our No. 1 person on the team and he hasn't looked back since," he said. Shanahan taught Symmonds to love the sport and helped shape him into one of the best runners in the state. Now, Symmonds is about to compete against some of the best runners in the world. "He's ready to go, he's ready," the coach said. "(Nick) said he had one of his best sharpening track workouts last week and he's confident and when he's confident, you know, he's tough to beat." The Bishop Kelly coach believes Symmonds can bring home a gold medal - but he's going to have to run the race of his life first. "He's going to do Bishop Kelly and America proud because he's a great ambassador for the sport." Symmonds will run in the 800 meters early Wednesday at about 6 a.m. The race will be tape delayed to air later in the day. ___ Do you think Bishop Kelly graduate Nick Symmonds has what it takes to win Olympic gold? Sign up to comment (below) and let us know what you think. |
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