Olympians Sam Kendricks, Will Claye, Brittney Reese, and Keturah Orji chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos about their career-defining moments in both track and field and in life since the previous Olympic Games.
Sam Kendricks
Olympic bronze medalist pole vaulter Sam Kendricks remarked, “Your whole life changes every four years especially when you are a young athlete. 20 percent of my life has passed from the last Olympics.”
“After Rio, I shifted my expectations from the Olympics. It rained, things broke and things weren’t perfect, at least in my experience. Between now and then, going to five or eight USA championships has really shaped me in every meet,” he said.
“I realized that now, I am the ‘old guy’ in the pole vault, me and Scotty Houston are going to be the oldest guys on the track in the pole vault. I have seen guys come and go in that time period so going to the USA championships all of those times has really shaped me as I grew in the sport,” Kendricks elaborated.
Will Claye
Three-time Olympic medalist Will Claye responded, “From 2016 to now, one of the biggest things for me was settling now. I got married, and that was one of the best things that has ever happened to me.” “Getting to spend time with my wife, Queen, and connecting with her on a different level. It has been amazing and it has changed me in so many different ways, so that has been one of the biggest things for me. It has helped me grow on and off teh track,” he said.
“Now, as a husband, I look to provide more and I am not selfish. I want to take care of my wife and my family to come. It is bigger than me and I am doing it for more than just myself and the medals. I want to leave a legacy for the Claye last name,” he added.
Brittney Reese
Brittney Reese took home the gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, and the silver medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Reese said, “Given my age, from 2016 to now, it’s more so about starting my legacy, and being able to give my son opportunities that I didn’t have growing up.” “It has been more about him and starting a real estate company,” she said. “I want to put myself ahead of the game. This is my last Olympics so I just want to make sure that I am going out with a bang, get the medal, and continue on with whatever it is that I started in 2016, and to get my son going.”
Keturah Orji
Triple jump athlete Keturah Orji finished fourth at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio with a jump of 14.71 meters. “For me, coming in fourth in 2016, really was a defining moment because I didn’t know what I was capable of at the time. I was 20 years old, and I was just happy to be in the Olympic team,” she said.
“Then, just coming one inch from a medal proved to me what I am capable of and how good I can be. That has fueled me going into 2021 now, especially knowing that anything is possible,” Orji added.
