Johnny Dutch Unattached

(listen to Johnny’s full audio below)

In 1996, I remember watching the Olympics in Atlanta.

It was so amazing to me.

I told myself, I’m going to do that one day, I’m going to be an Olympian.

So when I see this photo, it’s frustrating.

You can see the disappointment in my face.

I could feel every emotion that’s possible to feel in that moment.

It felt like a bad dream. And I could not wake up.

I kept pinching myself, thinking maybe this is. Maybe I’m dreaming. The finals will be tomorrow. I can do it all over again. But I wasn’t waking up. It was it wasn’t fun. The next morning when I woke up. I remember reading an article with the headline Olympic Trials The Biggest Loser, and it had my name, Johnny Dutch.

To work so hard for so many years and to dedicate and to sacrifice and to read the article at one of my lowest moments.

It really hurt my feelings. And I went into a slight depression.

After this. I felt I felt like a disappointment to not just myself, but to my coaches and to my mother and to anyone who’s ever supported me. It was just a real hard time.

But, you know, life goes on. And what I’m learning is that outside of track and field, there will be more races. I’ll win some. I’ll lose some. But you best believe, I’m going to win some.