One of Fayette County’s most successful international athletes is gearing up for another season, and perhaps a repeat of Olympic glory.
So far, Christian Taylor’s biggest moment during his track and field career was when he stepped on the platform at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London to receive the gold medal for the triple jump.
While the Olympics is by far the most visible venue in which he competes, he stays busy in between Olympic competitions.
“Most people ask, ‘What do you do during the four years between each Olympics?’ But, this is my job,” he said recently in Fayette County on a brief visit during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Taylor is a professional track athlete, training and competing year-round in variety of indoor and outdoor locations around the world.
The time between November until early January is a training block, with workouts consisting of weight training and running, some of which is outdoors when weather permits.
Taylor usually spends most of those months in Florida.
The indoor track season for professionals begins in January and runs through the middle of April. After that comes the outdoor season, and Taylor competes throughout Europe and Asia on this circuit. He has also done some training in Africa in recent years.
He has lived in England the past two years during the season and plans to move to Holland in January for the next two years.
“Having a base over there allows me to do more meets,” he said.
His track success began back at Sandy Creek High School, where he won several state championships and set state records in the long jump, triple jump and 400-meter dash. He was selected the 2008 Gatorade Athlete of the Year for Georgia.
During this three years at the University of Florida he was a 10-time NCAA All-American and won three NCAA championships – the 2010 outdoor triple jump, and the 2009 and 2010 indoor triple jump. He took home eight SEC titles in various events as well.
Taylor’s career changed in 2011 when he won the world outdoor title in the triple jump at a meet in South Korea. At age 21, he was the youngest jumper in the final. He chose to forgo his final year of college eligibility and turned pro, winning the Olympic gold medal the next year on his final jump after scratching twice.
After the Olympics, he returned to Sandy Creek for a visit and received a welcome befitting an Olympic gold medalist, with banners and cheering from students. He said he enjoyed seeing his former teachers and displaying his winning medal for the local folks.
He keeps in touch with his high school coach (who is now at another school) and club coach.
Taylor’s parents and extended family still live in Fayette County, and he makes it back here a couple of times a year for holidays and other times his travel schedule permits.
The 24-year-old is looking ahead, well aware that he cannot compete at an elite level indefinitely but working with a goal of participating in two more Olympics: 2016 in Rio and 2020 in Tokyo.
“Usually around 30 or 32 years old you start to question what you’re going to do. If I can make it to 2020, that would be amazing – a solid 10-year career for me.”
Fans can follow Taylor on Twitter and via his website, www.taylored2jump.com.
