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Photo courtesy of Curtis Thompson
Curtis Thompson, an assistant track and field coach at Spain Park High School, has qualified for Team USA’s track and field team after competing in the 2024 Olympic Trials on June 23. Photo courtesy of Curtis Thompson.
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Photo courtesy of Curtis Thompson
Curtis Thompson, an assistant track and field coach at Spain Park High School, has qualified for Team USA’s track and field team after competing in the 2024 Olympic Trials on June 23. Photo courtesy of Curtis Thompson.
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Photo courtesy of Mercedes Oliver
Curtis Thompson, an assistant track and field coach at Spain Park High School, has qualified for Team USA’s track and field team after competing in the 2024 Olympic Trials on June 23. Photo courtesy of Mercedes Oliver.
Not many athletes earn the honor of being an Olympian.
Even fewer do it twice.
But that’s what javelin thrower Curtis Thompson achieved recently, winning the title at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials last weekend in Eugene, Oregon.
Thompson, who lives in Birmingham and helps coach track and field at Spain Park High School, won his fourth U.S. javelin title with a throw of 83.04 meters. His throw was more than 3 feet further than anyone else’s in the competition.
Thompson will compete for the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, which run from July 27 through Aug. 11. He also competed in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
“It’s a feeling of relief, joy and happiness,” Thompson said of making the Olympic team again. “You work really hard to get to this point, and this is a step to the future goals that we are looking toward.”
Thompson grew up in New Jersey and competed collegiately at Mississippi State University. He moved to the area in 2020 and has been coaching at Spain Park since, in addition to working with other local javelin throwers.
“It’s been wonderful having them supporting me and on my side; they’re really understanding of what’s going on,” Thompson said of his fellow coaches and athletes at Spain Park.
The dynamic of coaching athletes while pursuing his own athletic dreams ahead of him is something Thompson has enjoyed.
“It’s exciting being able to help and push and encourage them in their own career, as they do for me,” he said.
As opposed to Tokyo, in which the crowd was limited due to the pandemic, Thompson is excited to get over to Paris a little early and enjoy the area before competing in front of a crowd.
Having that experience while representing his country is something Thompson doesn’t take for granted. He currently holds the third-furthest javelin throw in U.S. history.
“It’s an exciting feeling. It’s one that I cherish and I’ll be able to cherish for the rest of my life,” Thompson said. “But to continue to wear USA on my chest and compete at a high level, I look forward to competing well and making sure everybody’s proud of what I’ve done.”
Thompson said the key to being a two-time Olympians centers around consistency and taking things day by day. He also mentioned the many time and financial sacrifices the journey takes, but he said they have all been worth it to be where he is today. He was recently married in December as well.
“If people want to chase their dream, I encourage them to chase it as long as they can, and hopefully they’ll achieve it,” he said.
Follow Thompson’s journey on his Instagram page, @curt_thompson.
