Former Team USA sprinter and Sydney Olympian Coby Miller says health and safety fears would not stop him competing in Rio
DESPITE the health and safety fears in Rio, former USA sprinter and Sydney Olympian Coby Miller says nothing would stop him from going.
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SYDNEY Olympian Coby Miller says nothing would stop him from going to Rio if he was still competing.
Despite the stories about Zika virus, issues with the athletes’ village and muggings in Rio, the former USA sprinter said he would still make the trip to Brazil.
“The Olympic team is a dream for most people and you can’t let these distractions get in the way of your dreams,” the Athens 4X100m silver medallist said.
“I would still go to Rio to pursue my dreams.”
He said he was surprised athletes had pulled out before the games, but acknowledged more needed to be done to ensure their safety.
“The first thing you want is safety for the athletes, no matter where you are, whether it’s Brazil or wherever,” Miller said.
“Hopefully by the time the Olympic Games come around, Brazil will have come up with strict security to protect our athletes so they can compete at their best
“Whenever you compete at that level, you should not have to worry about your safety.
“But the Olympics only come every four years and it might be a once in a lifetime chance.
“If you get the chance and you’ve put in the work, don’t let the distractions stop you.”
A green Miller visited Australia as a 23-year-old with the USA Olympic team and gushes about the country after he made the 200m final at Sydney 2000.
“Sydney was my very first Olympics and I was so excited,” he said.
“I was in Sydney for almost a month and just being around great people, the culture is fantastic in the Land Down Under.”
A star-studded crew from Team USA joined him in the village.
“I remember the torch coming into the stadium and I actually got to meet Muhammad Ali,” he said.
“Venus and Serena Williams, Michael Phelps and Kobe Bryant were all there.”
While he has not been back to Australia since then, he has always kept a keen eye on “the land down under”.
He said athletes at their first games in Rio would have to deal with nerves.
“Making it to the final of the 200m in Sydney is probably one of the most incredible moments of my career.
“Just to make it there and be in the finals among the top sprinters in the world was incredible.
“But I actually think I could have done a lot better in Sydney if I wasn’t so nervous.
“I still remember, to this day, being on the big stage, with all the cameras and the crowd, it was a bit intimidating.”
The running machine, who has a sub-10 second 100m and sub-20 second 200m personal best, later went on to compete in the 4X100m relay with champions like Maurice Green and Justin Gatlin.
Miller stopped competing in 2008 and now trains people and helps kids “achieve their Olympic dream like I did.”
The man with the golden smile said he follows Herald Sun Sport on Facebook and Twitter in order to keep in touch with all the sport news in Australia and he can’t wait for the Rio games to start.
Originally published as Former Team USA sprinter and Sydney Olympian Coby Miller says health and safety fears would not stop him competing in Rio
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