ATLANTA — An undeterrable optimist, Georgia native and Olympic gold medalist Christian Taylor is always looking for the good in any situation
“My injury allowed me to grow as a person," he said. “It’s actually been an amazing year."
Taylor is coming back from a serious injury and surgery ahead of the 2022 World Athletics Championships, which begin Friday in Eugene, Oregon.
May 19, 2021, a month from the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Taylor suffered an Achilles’ heel rupture. He was planning to compete for his third straight Olympic gold in triple jump - and make history in the process.
He’s battled back with the optimism and faith that has defined his career as much as the medals and records. During it all, he still came back home to give back to the next generation of track and field athletes.
There’s a lot of history on the track at Sandy Creek High School in Fayetteville, Georgia. There’s also support that continues to push him forward. Home is a place Taylor draws strength.
“It’s a new season and I’m looking forward to a third chance," he said.
Still, it hasn’t been easy. “I was frustrated; but I knew I could rely on the same people who could give me that push to come back, hopefully, better than ever.”
His wife, Austrian world-class hurdler Beate Schrott, said most people don’t realize how challenging the recovery has been.
“He was preparing for the Olympic games, and all of the sudden we were struggling to get him from the couch to the bed," she said.
Schrott is now wife and coach. Together they’ve prepared for the 2022 World Championship - an international stage for Taylor’s comeback.
“I’m sharing what I love with the person I love," he said.
He added she is a tough coach and they work well together. “In the end no one wants better for me than she does.”
Taylor is the reigning world champion - he won gold at the last World Championships in Doha, Qatar in 2019 - and hopes for another title, although he knows coming back from an injury this series also requires time and patience. It’s why his is looking ahead to 2024 and the next Summer Olympics in France.
“I believe the home run will really be in Paris,” Taylor said.
Schrott said, “The fact that he is jumping again is amazing and gives me a lot of joy.”
They both hope it is another part of an already legendary career that inspires people.
Taylor said deep growth and perspective can comes in the most challenging times of life.
“I hope it can show someone else when they are facing the same thing, that they can do it, too," he said.