KBC Night of Athletics (Heusden) 2013Jul 13, 2013 by Jimmy Stevenson
Find Out More about Matthew Elliott after 3:37.07, near 4 second PR
Find Out More about Matthew Elliott after 3:37.07, near 4 second PR
The bell chimes, clanging loudly as it notifies the twelve runners that there is one lap to go in the 1,500m race at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Full Interview with Elliott after almost 4 second 1500m PR (3:37.07) in Heusden
Matthew Elliott is just barely in front of last place. Within the next 51 seconds he passes seven people and crosses the line in fourth place.
From there he heads into the media room and is stopped by one of our reporters. Judging by how popular the ensuing video interview has become, chances are you already know what happens. If not feel free to watch it here.
As you can see, Elliott breaks down in his post-race interview crying uncontrollably as he communicates a message to the running world. PASSION.
Fast forward to July 6. If Leo Manzano and Lopez Lomong run the IAAF “A” Standard in Paris than Elliott’s dream of running at the World Championships in Moscow, Russia this year vanishes. Simply put, that is exactly what happened.
But that passion remains. Elliott toed the starting line in Heusden, Belgium today with a 3:40.52 personal record (PR). His hopes of competing at Worlds were already dashed but his number one desire of glorifying God certainly wasn’t.
“My Lord and Savior is what’s it all about, and I’m so happy to be able to share that with people.”
Since his remarkable 4th place finish at USAs, Elliott has inspired numerous people. He answers their number one question of how did you come from a 4:42 miler to where you are now?
“Really man, it’s about faith in God. That’s the only reason why. That’s the only reason why any of that is possible.”
As Elliott derives his motivation and desire from the Lord, many younger runners use Elliott and his amazing progression as a source of motivation.
Elliott leaving the rest of the field behind him as he rolls to a huge PR in Heusden
“I have probably 25 or 30 4:42 HS milers contact me and it’s just neat to be able to interact with them and converse and share life with people.”
Sharing life with people is not just something Elliott thoroughly enjoys, but it is something the 27-year-old does for a living. In addition to being a professional athlete, Elliott is an elementary school teacher. He shares life with children with special needs at The Palmetto School - Children’s Attention Home.
“I love teaching just as much as I love running. So I have two things in my life that give me what I like to call, exceedingly great joy. And when you have both of those things working together in my life, I’m able to do extraordinary things.”
Case and point: Elliott set an almost 4 second PR in Belgium with a 3:37.07. Not only that, but he won his race by nearly half a second.
With 200 meters to go Elliott made a decisive move to take the lead that he never relinquished. As stellar as a race it was, Elliott was just shy of the IAAF “B” standard of 3:37.00.
Elliott’s next race is July 19 in Bottrop, Germany. If he dips under the 3:37.00 there, he will serve as the alternate in the 1,500m at Worlds. As he looks back on his experience at USA Championships and the race that turned him into a world wide inspiration, he has no intentions of stopping here.
“I don’t want to take it as, ‘Yes, I’ve finally competed well at the National Championships,’” said Elliott. “I want to take it as this is gonna be the beginning for me hopefully winning the National Championship one day.”
Before US Championships there might not have been a lot of people who would have believed such a statement, but after his performance in Des Moines and his massive PR in Heusden, that statement doesn’t seem hard to believe at all.
As for now though, one thing is for certain. Matthew Elliott is one happy believer.
“I’m loving life Chris, I really am,” said Elliott to Flotrack reporter Chris Chavez.
Jimmy Stevenson is a broadcast journalism major at Elon University in Elon, North Carolina. Feel free to contact him on twitter with any questions, comments and/or feedback.
Jimmy Stevenson is a broadcast journalism major at Elon University in Elon, North Carolina. Feel free to contact him on twitter with any questions, comments and/or feedback.