Although he

could never have envisioned it at the age of 13, David Weller's aversion

to riding a bus put him on track to a future full of cycling medals and

awards. As a young man in Jamaica, Weller opted to ride his bicycle to

and from school, 15 miles each way.

"I was

tempted by all the social ills but I guess instinctively I wanted to be

different," said Weller. "I was searching for something to focus

my energy on."

A chance encounter

with the Jamaican national cycling coach in 1971 gave him a focus. Cycling

became a way of life for him.

"My life

was consumed with cycling and weight training," he said. Weller cycled

3,000 miles a month in addition to weight training and school. By 1973

he was ready to compete in his first Junior races, traveling to Europe

where he came in first.

"I really

learned the value of weight training in 1975," he said. "I am

not a genetically gifted athlete. I had to build what I needed to compete."

At six feet, one inch, Weller is tall for a cyclist.

The weight

training paid off at his first major competition in 1975, the Pan American

Games in Mexico City. Weller took home the silver medal. His next major

race was one that many racers never manage to be allowed in the Olympics.

Weller came

in tenth overall in the cycling 1-kilometer time trial at the Montreal

Olympic Games in 1976. In 1978 he won gold medals at the Pan American

and Caribbean Games, took home the bronze medal at the Pan American Cycling

Championships in Santo Domingo and another bronze medal at the British

Commonwealth games in Edmonton, Canada.

He continued

to amass medals, winning the silver medal at the 1979 Pan American Games

in the 1K time trial. The same year he was named Jamaica's Athlete of

the Year.

In 1980 he

brought home the Bronze Medal in cycling at the Moscow Summer Olympics.

The accomplishment was the first medal won for Jamaica in any sport aside

from track and field. It was also the first time since 1936 that a Western

Hemisphere cyclist had won an Olympic medal. He was awarded a citation

the Prime Minister. Weller once again was named Jamaica's Athlete of the

Year.

Deciding he

wanted to graduate from college in 1982, he cut back on competitions.

technology and management on a scholarship provided by Air Jamaica. Expectations

were high for Weller to continue improving, despite the decrease in the

number of competitions he entered. He concentrated his efforts on training

and was able to maintain his number-one ranking.

By 1983 he

was once again adding more medals to his collection, winning a bronze

medal at the Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela. In 1984 he was

seeded first in the world and was preparing to race in his third Olympic

competition. Regarding the pressure he was under he says, "I had

everything to lose by not keeping my focus. My competitors had nothing

to lose." Just seven weeks prior to the Games, an accident while

training in Columbia resulted in a compound fracture.

Many in serious

competition are faced with choices when they are injured or are perceived

to be losing their edge. Weller was offered a chance to be treated with

performance improving drugs. However, he stated emphatically, "My

personal integrity would not allow me to take that direction."

Although recovering

from his injuries, he felt strong enough to participate in the Olympics.

He came in sixth in the race. "Here I am in 2002 - and every year

I am glad I didn't fall victim to the temptation," said Weller. "You

must be true to your self. I know that if I had not crashed I could have

taken home a medal. But I did the right thing and am more satisfied with

myself because of that decision."

Weller retired

from competitive cycling in 1984. In 1985 he started coaching in Miami.

Two of his students went on to win first and third in the World Masters

Championship. In 1991, his work transferred him to the Atlanta area and

Weller and wife, Donna, moved to Sharpsburg. As he has done since his

early years, Weller continues to train. He and Donna are members of Gold's

Gym Peachtree City West and both workout regularly.

Weller didn't

give up on his coaching; he is currently training from 12 to 20 people

on a regular basis. Living in a new area, his training sideline started

with one student. In 1991 while working out he got into a conversation

with a gentleman who, at the age of 38, wanted to go to the team trials

in Minneapolis. Weller worked with John James and helped him to attain

one of his life's dreams - he qualified for the Olympic trials in 1992.

Within a short

time, people began to hear that he was in the area and began asking him

to help them improve their cycling skills. Weller started the Atlanta

Velo Cycling Team, based in Atlanta. The team has been nationally ranked

for the past six years. Weller works with the cyclists both on the road

and in the gym. Some meet him on a regular basis to train at Gold's Gym.

Currently ten of his cycling students are working with him at the gym.

They also meet

in Peachtree City for many of their rides. The bike paths are not conducive

for their bikes or for high-speed rides, so they ride the roads around

Fayette and Coweta counties.

Weller says

he tries to train in the gym at least three to four times a week personally,

in addition to biking. "My personal regiment includes lots of cardiovascular

training," he said. "Stretching, pushups, calisthenics are all

part of my way of life." He also spends time in the free weight area.

Until recently

when he became a "victim of the 9-11 tragedy," he held down

a full-time job as an aeronautics engineer. He spends quality time with

his two young sons, Austin and Spencer. And, wife Donna is high on his

list of priorities as well.

"Having

a wife like Donna certainly helps. She runs and works out as much as I

do," he said. "Training for both of us is driven by kid duties.

They take precedence."

Weller is currently

working with two women he feels have a strong shot at the 2004 Olympics,

Tracy Sproule and Shannon Hutchison. Sproule began training with Weller

while she lived in North Carolina. She would drive to Atlanta every Friday

and return home on Sunday. She finally moved to the area to be near her

coach.

Cycling has

taught Weller many valuable life lessons, which he willingly shares with

those who spend any time talking with him. He talks about values, goals,

and he definitely knows how to get results from those he works with. A

number of his students have gone on to the Olympics and other ranked races.

He places a lot of stock in having enthusiasm for what you are doing,

and for having a strong support network.

He says the

value of his Olympic experience grows even more as he coaches others.

He speaks often regarding the sacrifices made by not just athletes while

they are training for competition, but their families and friends. However,

he notes, "You almost have to be obsessive. I learned at an early

age that there is nothing significant to deter you from attaining your

goals, despite the obstacles."

Although he

has officially retired from competition, Weller still has what it takes

to win. When he decided to "dabble" at racing again in 1995,

his dabbling resulted in two titles in the Eastern Regional Masters races.

The next time

you see a group of bikes whizzing down the street, watch closely. You

may just be seeing a future Olympian. You may also be seeing a Bronze

medalist spurring the cyclists on.

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