An Olympic flag hangs in Scott Russell’s office in Robinson Gymnasium. It carries a simple message.
“That flag will stay there until I make an Olympic team,” Russell said.
The flag hangs above Russell’s desk as a constant reminder of his goal: to throw the javelin in the Olympics. Russell, a graduate student from Windsor, Ontario, is a former track and field athlete at the University of Kansas. Since his graduation from KU in 2002, Russell has been throwing the javelin in international track meets. According to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), he is currently ranked 1st in Canada and 31st in the world. He hopes to make the Canadian Olympic team in 2008.
Russell’s first chance to make an Olympic qualifying throw will be April 18 - 21 at the Kansas Relays.
This will not be Russell’s first attempt to qualify for the games. In 2000, he tried, but did not make a qualifying throw.
“I wasn’t too worried about it,” Russell said. “I had a lot of years left.”
Russell felt 2004 was his year to go compete in the Olympics. He trained hard. In a journal logging all of his workouts that year, he wrote “I am going to the Olympics” at the top of each page. But a month before the Olympic trials, Russell strained his groin. He threw almost 20 feet below the Canadian qualifying standard of 81.58 meters and did not compete in Athens.
“I remember getting a phone call,” friend and former KU track and field athlete Candace Dunback said. “He was absolutely heartbroken.”
Russell’s biggest low came in 2005. After three years without any major accomplishments, the Canadian government pulled the funding Russell used to train and support himself.
“That got his anger up,” Scott Russell's father, Dan Russell, said.
Scott Russell was out of patience and out of cash. Seeing little possibility for a future in javelin throwing, he considered quitting the sport. It was then that Russell received a check for $2,500 from an anonymous Canadian couple who wanted to see Russell try to qualify for the 2005 World Track and Field Championship. He decided to compete in a few more meets.
“For someone to put that much belief in me, it was mind boggling,” Russell said. “I competed for them for the rest of that season.”
In his first competition after receiving the anonymous donation, Russell set a new Canadian record with a throw of 84.41 meters.
The throw qualified Russell for the 2005 World Track and Field Championship and reinstated his funding for two years.
“That one throw ended three years of frustration,” Dan Russell said.
Scott Russell is putting the past behind him as he begins his quest to qualify for the 2008 Olympics.
“Coming into this year, I’m pretty positive,” Russell said. “I’m kind of expecting big things this year.”
When Russell began training for the 2008 Olympic Games, he made several changes. He got a coach and changed the way he trains. He is coached by Andy Kokhanovsky, the throws coach of the KU track and field team. He works out six days a week.
“Trainings been going awesome,” Russell said. “This year has been more streamlined to javelin throwing.”
Russell also changed his attitude about the sport.
“I compete because it’s fun now,” Russell said. “It’s an emotional rollercoaster. You train for the emotional highs.”
Russell is an outgoing person but a focused athlete.
“He’s very focused and extremely dedicated,” Dunback said. “If anyone deserves it, it’s absolutely him.”
In addition to the Kansas Relays, Russell will compete in several international meets and the Canadian national competitions this year. Regardless of whether he makes an Olympic qualifying throw this year, he must also make a qualifying throw in 2008 in order to compete in the 2008 games in Beijing.
“I probably won’t know until July of 2008 if I’m on the team,” Russell said.
He is excited to begin his Olympic journey at the Kansas Relays.
“The atmosphere of having the crowd right on top of you is great,” Russell said. “To compete in front of your home crowd is awesome.”