byLarry EderBryan Clay is learning what it takes to be a gold medal winning decathlete, and the whirl wind tour is probably more wear and tear than the Olympics! First, he was named the third US decathlete to have his face on a Wheaties Box ( Jenner, O’Brien and now Clay!), then there was the tv shows, and now the RNC! A modest correction to the ABC press release, the last American to win Olympic gold was in 1996, twelve years ago, three Olympics ago, and that was Dan O’Brien. One of Clay’s other bits of trivia is that his Olympic Trials score of 8,832 is the best score by a US decathlete in fourteen years ( Knoxville, 1994)!
Thanks to USATF Director of Communications Jill Geer for the press release!
Olympic Decathlete Clay Speaks At RNC
ABC News – September 5, 2008
HONOLULU — Hawaii-born Olympic decathlete Bryan Clay made a surprise appearance on the stage of the Republican National Convention on Thursday.
Clay was introduced as an athlete who exemplified the strength rigor and humility of the American spirit. He recently won the gold at the Beijing Olympics.
He greeted the crowd with an “aloha.”
“I can tell you that without faith in God and my support of my family and friends and my strong work ethic I would not be standing before you today wearing this gold medal around my neck,” Clay said. “Whether you are a decathlete or a politician, we must stand together and believe in each other and in this great nation. Mahalo and God bless you, and may God bless America.”
Clay did not mention any candidate or party during his brief remarks.
The Castle High School graduate was in the islands last weekend after a whirlwind tour of appearances after becoming the first American to win the Olympic gold in the decathlon in 20 years. (End)
