Long Jump Gold Medalist Mentors Youth Olympians

(ATR) Dwight Phillips knows about success at the Olympic Games, something he readily shared with young Olympians in Nanjing.

Phillips, 36, the Athens 2004 Olympic gold medalist in the long jump, dominated his event for a decade, also leaping to four world titles and a world championship bronze medal. He made his Olympic debut at the Sydney 2000 Games.

A rainy Sunday afternoon couldn’t dampen the mood at the Youth Olympics Village as the two-time U.S. Olympian discussed some of his vast experiences – offering words of wisdom and tidbits of advice – with approximately 20 young members of the U.S. track and field team.

"You may not always come out on top, but have fun and continue to work hard and anything can happen," Phillips told Youth Olympians.

"Be that person to make everyone around you better. Believe in yourself, and be resilient all the time."

For many of the 3,800 Youth Olympians competing in Nanjing, it is their first major international competition.

"The Youth Olympic Games is a great opportunity to learn how it’s going to be on the next level."

Phillips retired from competition in 2013 following a recurring Achilles tendon injury that prevented him from competing in London 2012.

He is part of the IOC’s Athlete Role Model program. The popular initiative pairs an array of Olympians from various sports and different countries to mentor teenaged athletes at the Youth Games.

The Athlete Role Model program was launched for the inaugural 2010 YOG in Singapore and has evolved positively ever since.

In Nanjing, 38 Olympians and sports greats are aiming to inspire, advise, inform, teach and spend quality time with the young athletes as part of the program.

Phillips did exactly that at Sunday afternoon’s "Meet and Greet" session conducted in the Rainbow building at the Youth Olympics Village. Among the U.S. athletes in attendance were two recent YOG bronze medalists, long jumper Rhesa Foster and 200-meter runner Brandee Johnson.

"It’s really inspirational ... I’m glad that I’ve got to hear him talk about similar issues that he’sgone through, with the stuff I’ve gone through, so its easy to relate to that," said Foster, who admits she often suffers days when she scratches on all of her jumps and fails to post a mark at important competitions.

Foster set a personal best on Saturday night with a jump of 6.17 meters, earning her the bronze medal.

"To have somebody who knows what I’m going through, to encourage me to keep going and keep working hard is really great," said the 16-year-old athlete after listening to Phillips.

Complimenting the "Meet and Greet" sessions, the Athlete Role Models are also available to interested athletes on scheduled dates at the ARM lounge, another aspect of the IOC’s Culture and Education program.

Phillips, whose personal best of 8.74m/28-8.25, makes him the joint fifth best jumper of all time, said he wished the Youth Olympic Games existed when he was a young aspiring Olympian.

"It’s a great stepping stone for the athletes who are going to go on to the Olympic Games," Phillips said of the YOG.

"It’s so unique and so dynamic. It’s great that you get an opportunity to compete for your country at an Olympic Games and learn so much about different cultures.

"I can see this becoming a huge event in the forthcoming years."

Written by Brian Pinelli in Nanjing

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.