Olympics170
The Zone
10 Olympic hopefuls on what it feels like
2008-06-12
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The Olympics are not about money. Your amateur status as an athlete must remain uncompromised in order to compete.

The Olympics are not about fame. Once you qualify, you can become a household name, but that’s generally for about as long as the ESPN coverage lasts.

And, though gold trumps silver trumps bronze in any language, the Olympics are not, ultimately, about the medals.

For the athletes, the Olympics are about the competition -- against other competitors, but more importantly, against oneself; against the last, best time you executed a long jump, a pole vault, a shot put, a lap.



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 It must be solely (soul-ly) and completely about what you are called to do. How else to explain the 4 a.m. training sessions, sometimes before you go to work; The challenge of financing your passion so that you have the time to devote to being the best; the relentless pursuit of first place.

For the athletes profiled here, Olympic hopefuls for Beijing 2008, these realities are just another set of hurdles that must be cleared – all for the sake of arriving in the zone.

For track phenoms Allyson Felix, Carmelita Jeter and LaShawn Merritt, swimmer Cullen Jones, hurdles competitor Terrence Trammell, fencer Ivan Lee, shot putter Reese Hoffa, decathlon competitor Bryan Clay, gymnast Sean Golden and boxers Rau’shee Warren and Demetrius Andrade, finding that sweet spot makes it all worthwhile.

Launch the photo essay to hear them explain it in their own words.

Photography by Dudley Brooks





5 Responses to "The Zone"

06.22.08 at 12:05 AM
Teresa says:
this message is for Sean Golden. Sean I would like to say everyone at ETCC is so very proud of you!!! Good look and put Camden on the map in a good way!!!

06.23.08 at 1:55 PM
Cherice Huggins says:
I am a cousin of Carmelita Jeter,( Cherice Huggin) my mother is Anna Howard, her father's first cousin. Anyhow, I am very proud of Carmelita, and other Afro- Americans who have made a path for my daugter and sons. We wish you and all others the best of luck, and Carmelita I know you will give it your all. California is on the map. But with my husband being deployed for the 6th time, from the 10th Special Forces in Fort Carson, Colorado to you we're rooting for you!!!!!

06.24.08 at 1:45 AM
larry spencer says:
Hi , how are you? I love the art, I do find the time to work independently for myself selling my paintings and portraits using a technique of art I have created, I call them Mousepaintings I have a site at www.mousepaintings.8m.com and at www.afroart.4t.com, check them out I'm sure that you will like them. dont forget to go to my site at www.mousepaintings.8m.com. E-mail--lxspencer@aol.com

06.30.08 at 12:49 PM
Anita Robertson says:
I believe that you did an article about a young man who was listed as the fastest swimmer in the world. He was of mixed race, but I can't recall his name. Can you help me??

07.03.08 at 3:14 PM
DeAndra McNair-Mason says:
LaShawn, I am very proud of you. You put Portsmouth on the map. By-the-way...this is Tooky's mom.

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