LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Yared Nuguse is only 25 years old, but he has a lifetime of accomplishments. Earlier this summer, he won bronze in the 1500-meter race at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
To his surprise, the Louisville community has shown him a huge amount of love.
"I can't believe this" he said while in the gym of his alma mater, DuPont Manual High School, on Monday. He was surrounded by his family, friends, old teachers, and state officials including Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg and Congressman Morgan McGarvey.
"To celebrate and congratulate Yared on his Olympic bronze medal and all the other achievements he has made since graduating here at Manual, I would like to present you with this proclamation as a distinguished citizen of our great city," Greenberg said.
In response, Nuguse seemed honored while the crowd cheered in agreement. The mayor also said Nuguse is now in the presence of other great Louisvillian athletes like Allen Houston and Muhammad Ali.
But track wasn't always Nuguse's plan. He said he started at Manual High School on the bowling team, but admitted he wasn't very good. He then got into track and formed a strong relationship with coach Tim Holman.
"I'm so proud of him, and this doesn't surprise me one bit," Holman said Monday.
While in college, Nuguse's coaches told him that pursing a degree in biochemistry, saying that running track would be too difficult. He ended up graduating from Norte Dame. And even with his Olympic medal, still has plans to become a dentist.
"When I shattered the American record last year, that was a really huge moment for me and really propelled me to this amazing season I’ve had this year," Nuguse said.
That season, he earned the bronze in Paris, and second place at the World Indoor Championship in Scotland.
As for that special surprise, Nuguse now has a championship named after him at JCPS.
"From now forward, [the JCPS XC Championship] will be known as the Yared Nuguse JCPS Championships," Holman said.
Nuguse said he has plans to run in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, but for now, he intends to spend time with his family and enjoy being home.
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