The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) has produced a number of stellar performers in the sport of track and field. Beginning today, many will have their chance to showcase their talents in the national spotlight.  The start of the track and field events at the London Olympics will feature nine current and former MEAC track and field standouts, representing five countries.

"It is a great honor to be an Olympian, because you are considered to be one of the best in the world,'' says former Norfolk State All-American Chandra Sturrup, a two-time Olympic medalist representing the Bahamas in her fifth Olympics.  "To be an Olympian is a great feeling because when you look back on what you've had to do - long hard workouts, and overcoming injuries - to get to this level in your sport, you then appreciate everything that you have endured.''

Sprinter Chris Brown, a fellow Norfolk State alumnus, is also a member of the Bahamian squad and is competing in the 400 meter dash and the 4x400 meter relay. 

Brown is appearing in his fourth Olympics. He was the silver medalist in the 400m in 2008 at the Beijing Games, and he holds the record for his country in that event. Still, he says, being an Olympian once again gives him an indescribable thrill.

"To be an Olympian means ... means that I have surpassed the expectations I had for myself,'' Brown says. "Reaching the status of 'Olympian' also demonstrates to me how God had much bigger plans for me - more than what I could have ever dreamed.  Being an Olympian is the ultimate level of competition in our sport and it provides me with a great platform to set what I hope is a great example for the generations behind me to follow.''

Former Savannah State sprinter Amara Jones, the 2012 MEAC Woman of the Year runner-up, is also competing for the Bahamas as an alternate on the 4x100 meter relay team.

"An athlete has two years before the games to qualify. I was trying my best to stay healthy and qualify. It's always going to be hard. Hard work pays off though." Jones says. "I wish I could have qualified in my individual event, but even to be here as a member of the relay team is an awesome blessing. After this experience, I know I'll never be in this position again because I will be here not just for a relay, but for both (individual and relay) events. 

Former Hampton standouts Francena McCorory and Kellie Wells will compete for the United States in the women's 400 meter dash and 100 meter hurdles, respectively.

McCorory, who won three NCAA titles in the 400m event, came in third with a time of 50.43 to qualify for this year's games. Wells qualified with a second-place finish time of 12.77 in the 100m hurdles to earn a spot on the United States team.

Former Morgan State discus thrower Allison Randall, who holds the school record in her event, will compete as a member of the Jamaican squad. Randall also holds the record for her country with a throw of 61.21 meters earlier this year. University of Maryland Eastern Shore sprinter Lenora Guion-Firmin is a member of the French 4x400 meter relay team. Sprinter Joel Redhead, an All-American as a senior in 2009 at Bethune-Cookman, will run in the 200 meter dash representing Grenada.

In addition, former Norfolk State sprinter April Holmes will compete for Team USA in the 2012 Paralympic Games, which will be held in London Aug. 29-Sept. 9.  Holmes is the world record holder in the T44 class 100 meter, 200 meter and 400 meter races. Her left leg was amputated after she was injured in a 2001 accident involving a train. Holmes won the gold medal at the 2008 Games in the women's 100 meters; she will also compete in the 200 meters.

Despite having a relatively low profile in the world of track and field, the MEAC's contingent of Olympians say that the conference was an excellent training ground for them and played a significant role in their development.

"...Competing in the MEAC helped in my Olympic journey by preserving me and my talents while simultaneously exposing me to great competitions and competitors,'' Brown says, noting that he has competed against a number of the athletes that he went up against in the MEAC in competitions around the world during his Olympic journey.  "The MEAC allowed me to display my talents, but not exhaust them, aiding in my longevity in the sport.''

"With the high level of competition in the MEAC and the talented athletes, competing in the MEAC was a base for me competing at this level.'' Redhead says.

Jones posted her Olympic "B" qualifying standard at the 2012 MEAC Outdoor Track and Field Championship. "We (Savannah State) only had one year to compete in the MEAC and I had a big decision to make - competing versus walking at graduation," said Jones.  "I think that honestly, the motivation for me to run well at championship was the fact that because I'd decided to stay with my team, I'd better be missing my graduation for something special."

Jones graduated in May with a 3.71 GPA in Marine Science.

Becoming an Olympian is the culmination of years of training, sacrifice and sometimes disappointment. No one knows this better than Redhead, who fought through injuries the past two years to earn a spot on the Grenadine squad. He suffered a groin injury last year while preparing for the World Games. Then in April of this year, he sustained a hip injury that only stopped bothering him three weeks ago.

I'd like to thank God that I feel good now and I am pain free,'' says Redhead, adding "my Olympic goal is to perform to the best of my ability, give it a 110%, get a personal best and move on round by round.  Wherever I end up I am pleased.''

Redhead, who comes from an athletic family, says making the Olympics was a goal of his almost from birth.  His father, Lyndon DeCoteau, was a member of the Grenadine National soccer team and a sprinter on his country's track team. His mother and an aunt played volleyball; an uncle was one of the top sprinters in the Caribbean, and his sister, Janelle Redhead will compete for Grenada in 200 meters at the London Games.

"My dream began to come through right out of my mother's stomach,'' he says. "I was born into a family of sport, so it was just a matter of time. I knew my dream would come true after my collegiate career based on my performance throughout the years. But it was only a matter of patience and faith and staying healthy and training hard.''

Jones started to dream of running in the Olympics in high school.

"I don't think I really dreamed of being an Olympian until high school though. I just enjoyed running. When I was first exposed to competition against other countries, I think I realized that I actually had a chance to become an Olympian," she says. "My fire was still not hot enough to move me forward until I went to college. When I told Coach Whitaker I would be the best. I meant it, not just at Savannah State or in the MEAC, but the best. I knew then, that in four years, I'd be in London, somehow."

Guion-Firmin, on the other hand, didn't begin to believe that her Olympic dream could become a reality until four years ago.

"I think that when you start to compete, you always see yourself as an Olympian one day,'' she says. "But it's more like a dream not necessarily like a goal. I started thinking about being an Olympian after Beijing in 2008. Ever since, everything I was doing, every decision I was making was toward London. People, especially my coach, were talking to me about the Olympics this year. I am the kind of person that needs to see it to believe it, so I preferred training without pressure even if being an Olympian was my everyday motivation.''