I'm The Proudest Father Alive!

Let's face it. When it comes to sports figures and the shout out, fathers get a bum deal. Very rarely do we hear, "Hi, DAD!" It's usually mom who gets the honor of the five seconds of television notoriety. Of course, it is often dad (or some other father-figure) who invested the time and effort in helping his child to nurture her/his athletic ability. Some would say that fathers do this as a means to cater to their own ego or unfulfilled fantasies. That may be true...for some fathers. I believe that most fathers see an opportunity to teach their children the value of hard work, discipline, persistence, perseverance, and belief in self. This, in my opinion, is one of the finest examples of a father's love and support of his child. The following article was sent to me by my father and exemplifies this idea.

94: Derek and dad finish Olympic 400 together

Rick Weinberg
Special to ESPN.com

Unlike Carl Lewis and Daley Thompson, Derek Redmond is not a name that conjures up memories of Olympic gold medals. But it is Redmond who defines the essence of the human spirit.

Redmond arrived at the 1992 Olympic Summer Games in Barcelona determined to win a medal in the 400. The color of the medal was meaningless; he just wanted to win one. Just one.

He had been forced to withdraw from the 400 at the 1988 Games in Seoul, only 10 minutes before the race, because of an Achilles tendon injury. He then underwent five surgeries over the next year. This was the same runner who had shattered the British 400-meter record at age 19. So when the 1992 Games arrived, this was his time, his moment, his stage, to show the world how good he was and who he was.

Derek's father Jim had accompanied him to Barcelona, just as he did for all world competitions. They were as close as a father and son could be. Inseparable, really. The best of friends. When Derek ran, it was as if his father were running right next to him.

To read the rest of the article, click here.