USC's Bryshon Nellum was told about three years ago that he might never again compete at a world-class level after he was shot in the legs as he walked home from a Halloween party. He was struck in each thigh and his right hamstring.
Survival, not his track career, was front of mind in that moment. Track and Field Trials earlier this year when he nabbed the final Olympic qualifying spot in the m. Nellum, 23, finished with a personal-best Inspiring nonetheless, Nellum had even more motivation to prove skeptics otherwise. Nellum was told by doctors that he would probably never again reach world-class speeds as a runner. Well, if that's not motivating enough for such a supreme athlete then nothing is.
And Nellun obviously took that to heart, because he represented Team USA in the meter dash and the men's 4xmeter relay team in the Olympics. About a year after the shooting, Nellum first began jogging lightly on the track and working to regain his stride pattern.
Only after another six months went by, however, did Nellum finally compete in his first open meters race. It was supposed to be a smokescreen to psych out the Bruins, but Nellum managed to persuade his coach to let him run, later validating the decision by finishing second in the race in a modest Finally, something good happened for him on the track. When Nellum shaved four tenths of a second off that time at the Pac championships two weeks later and also ran the first leg on the Trojans' victorious 4xmeter relay, he assumed he'd continue making steady progress.
Instead, he endured setback after setback, testing his patience and leaving him uncertain if he'd ever make it all the way back. Since there were too many pellets in Nellum's legs to safely remove all at once, he began his comeback with some still in his body. Doctors hoped he would be able to run pain-free despite the pellets, but Nellum repeatedly experienced flare-ups when he attempted to accelerate to top speed.
At the NCAA Championships in June , Nellum felt a pinch in his right hamstring during the opening leg of the 4xmeter relay because a pellet was irritating a nerve.
For the sake of his teammates, Nellum dragged his right leg around the track like a crutch, but he underwent surgery that summer to remove more of the metal fragments.
The season ended even more discouragingly for Nellum when searing pain in his groin waylaid him midway through a race at NCAA Regionals. The pain was a result of the last remaining fragments in his legs, forcing Nellum to decide whether to finally give up the sport he loved or to have surgery that carried a risk of nerve damage or even partial paralysis. It was like what else can he lose? We might as well have this last surgery and see what happens.
It was very, very risky, but now there's no pain. Although Nellum indeed has been virtually pain-free in and has started running hard in practice again for the first time since the shooting, he still has to take precautions in training his peers don't. Whereas most meter specialists regularly run the and meters to increase their speed, Nellum has only run a pair of s this season, both from an outside lane to make the curve as comfortable as possible.
Allice also noted that Nellum is still protecting his legs by "putting it in neutral" when he runs the curve in either the or meters. All the safety measures Nellum is taking only make what he has accomplished this season more impressive. He offered an early warning shot that he'd be a threat this summer by running the in a sizzling He demonstrated that was no fluke a month later by winning the Pac championships in And while he faded down the stretch in a preliminary round at the NCAA Championships and failed to make the finals, he at least emerged from the event healthy and ready to redeem himself at the Olympic trials.
Viewed more as an afterthought than a contender entering the event, Nellum didn't generate much attention when he cruised to the fourth-fastest time in the prelims TV commentators didn't highlight his story the day of the finals either, nor did they mention him during the race when he came off the final curve in seventh place. It was then, however, that Nellum delivered a finishing kick worthy of an Olympic medal contender and reestablished himself as a key cog in the present and future of USA Track and Field.
He zoomed past three opponents on the final straightaway and out-leaned Mance at the tape to grab the U. Nellum's time of Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Springfield Washington Elections. Dear Abby Horoscopes Lifestyles Music.
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