by Stuart Weir
This is a fun story. Sam Reardon had some drama before being named to Team GB, and he took home two medals! Great story by Stuart Weir!
The accidental medalist, Sam Reardon
Did you hear the one about the GB athlete who was not selected for the Olympics and finished up with two medals in Paris?
Sam Reardon was injured and missed the GB trials in June, and when the team, including the relay squad, was named, he was not surprised not to be called in it. Then Charlie Carvell had to withdraw from the Olympic team, but Sam Reardon seemed way down the pecking order.
He got a lane in the London Diamond League and ran 44.70 – a speedy time, but even then, he was told it had come too late. So, while the team was in France, Sam was watching the opening ceremony on TV and preparing for a GB National Athletics League race for his club, Blackheath and Bromley. Then a message came telling him that British Athletics wanted to add him to the squad but that it was past the deadline for naming athletes, so it required British Olympic Association and IOC approval. He could not celebrate and dared not tell anyone as it might still be vetoed. Then it was confirmed, and he had the strange task of telling his club he needed to withdraw from that National Athletics League race – as he would be going to the Olympics!
OK, he was in the squad, but presumably only as a reserve. At least he would get to experience the Olympics. It improved when he was selected for the mixed 4 by 400 prelim, in which GB ran a National Record to win the race. Reardon commented afterward: “I have dreamt of this moment for a long, long time. I started this sport watching London 2012, so to lead the nation in the 4x400s at the Olympic Games is a dream come true. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind week, getting called up and flying out to Paris straight away. I can’t really believe it, to be honest with you. I had a big run in London to make the team. Martyn (Rooney), Darren (Campbell), and my coach said just run like you did in London. Just attack the race, and don’t get carried away with what everyone else is doing. And I did that, so I am over the moon”.
When you are part of an NR run, it would be harsh to be dropped, and Sam kept his place for the final in a race remembered for Femke Bol almost single-handedly beating the Americans. Britain took bronze with Sam again on the first leg. He seemed to struggle to find words afterward: “It is a dream come true for all of us. We came in wanting to get a medal, and that is exactly what we did, so we are over the moon. It was an electric atmosphere. When I went into my block setups, the French team was hyping up the crowd, so I kind of fed on that energy, and that carried me through. Me and my coach have put a lot of work in. I’m known as an 800m and 400m athlete, together. But this year, we solely focused on the 400m. I had that belief, even when I doubted I deserved to be here. I am one of the best in the world at the moment, one of the best in Europe right now, so I went out there and did what I know I can do”.
The mixed relay is on day one, and the men’s relay is at the end of the games. After his epic runs in the mixed, he was selected for the men’s 4 by 400 – first leg again. The team ran 2:58.88 for second place and a lane in the final. Sam commented: “I felt super fresh coming into that, so tomorrow I need to push it a bit more. Like the other boys, I think we have much more to give. Going in with a 2:58 is good, but we want more. I think I ran well in the second half of my run, but I ran a soft first 200m. So I’ll attack it a bit more next time”.
GB took bronze in the final in 2:55.83, but Sam did not run. Nonetheless, to make the Olympic team at the 11th hour, run three races, and take home two medals is some memory.
