Nick Willis calls post-Olympic tour 'fantastic'
WELLINGTON, New Zealand - Wrapping up a three-week tour of New Zealand, Olympic bronze medalist Nick Willis departed this morning for Ann Arbor, Mich., to begin training for the 2009 track season.
 "It's been absolutely fantastic traveling around the country," Willis told the Waikato Times newspaper. "The excitement on all the kids' faces ... has been the most rewarding part of the whole Olympic experience."
Beginning on Oct. 8, Willis visited nine cities, beginning in Auckand and proceeding to Dunedin, Hastings, Hamilton, Nelson, Christchurch, Tauranga, Wellington and finally his hometown of Lower Hutt. Along the way, Willis shared his bronze medal at events at schools, running clubs, youth track meets and civic gatherings. Among other duties, he served as the official starter for the Students 5K at the Sir Barry Curtis Classic Road Race in Auckland; cut the ribbon at the IAAF Certification Ceremony for a new track in Hastings; and was guest of honor at a Hutt City Council reception.Along the way, hundreds of children got the chance to run a lap or do warm-up exercises with their Olympic hero, who signed autographs by the score at each stop.
He also appeared on national television and radio shows, sometimes with his wife, Sierra.
While in Christchurch, he took time to look ahead. "Everything will be geared toward the World Champs next year, where I fully expect to at least be able to match what I did in Beijing, fingers crossed," he told the Christchurch Press.
|
