Sam Kendricks is one of the most talkative and talented athletes I’ve had the pleasure of playing in. In Tokyo, I watched from afar as Sam was quarantined at the 2024 Olympic Trials. /coach convinced one of our most flexible athletes to give it his all.Sam Kendricks makes Mondo Duplantis do anything when they compete.This piece was done on one of our favorite American athletes, Deji Ogeyingbo, who spoke with this class act, Olympic bronze and silver medalist Sam Kendricks.
Sam Kendricks and the Olympics.
Sam Kendricks knows heartbreak. He also knows redemption.
Kendricks stood on the second step of the Paris Olympic podium, the silver medal around his neck shining under the lights of the Stade de France. For most athletes, this would be the pinnacle of a career.For Kendricks, it was much more profound. excuse.
Three years ago, Kendricks’ Olympic journey seemed doomed. He didn’t even make it to the runway in Tokyo. A positive COVID-19 test put him out of action. The sting of that moment lingered for years, overshadowing his training and raising questions about whether he would ever return to the sport’s biggest stage.
But in Paris, Kendricks silenced those doubts with a performance equal parts skill and defiance. He cleared 5.95m, his best jump of the season, for silver in a competition that showed not only his stamina but also the unstoppable dominance of Sweden’s Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, who holds the Olympic record. 6.10m rose to gold.
The bitter blow of Tokyo
Kendricks was no stranger to the pressure of the Olympics, having already won bronze in Rio 2016, a performance that cemented him as one of the world’s best runners, heading into Tokyo in 2021.
But a few days before he was due to compete, disaster struck. The mandatory COVID-19 test came back positive, forcing him into quarantine. Healthy but helpless, Kendricks could do nothing but watch the Olympic finals roll by without him.
“To sit there knowing you’ve done everything right, knowing you’re ready, and then being told you can’t compete,” Kendricks recalled, “took me a long time to let go of that anger.”
For a while it looked like he might not come back. Disappointment sapped his passion and injuries began to pile up, but the fire never completely died.
When the U.S. Olympic Trials began earlier this year, Kendricks was back to his old self, winning the event with a record jump, securing his ticket to Paris and setting the stage for his redemption arc.
The Mondo factor
While Kendricks’ story was one of perseverance, Armand Duplantis ultimately dominated the men’s pole vault final in Paris.
The 24-year-old Swede, often called a “freak of nature,” has redefined what’s possible in the sport. Duplantis combines explosive athleticism with technical precision, breaking world records almost as often as he competes.
He was untouchable in Paris. After winning the gold, Duplantis pushed himself further by vaulting 6.10m, setting a new Olympic record.The ease with which he vaulted left the crowd and his competitors in awe.
“Mondo is the benchmark right now,” Kendricks said. “You can’t help but admire what he’s doing, even if you’re the guy chasing him.”
Blood and mercy in Paris
Kendricks’ journey to silver wasn’t without drama. Halfway through the competition, as he was preparing for his first attempt at the 6.0m, a misstep on the runway caused his arm to bleed. But he didn’t let it distract him.
“I have sharp spikes and soft hands,” he joked later, showing the bandaged wounds. “This isn’t the first time and it won’t be the last.”
Although she missed the 6.0m mark, Kendricks’ earlier jumps were enough to secure second place.When she landed on the mat after her 5.95m clearance, she pumped her fist, a mixture of relief and triumph written on her face.
The silver medal marked her best Olympic result and was a powerful reminder of what she could achieve.
A complicated love story
Kendricks has always had a complicated relationship with the Olympics.From the heights of Rio to the heartbreak of Tokyo and now the redemption of Paris, his journey has been anything but smooth.
“The Olympics and I have had our ups and downs,” Kendricks said with a smile. “But I keep coming back because there’s nothing like this. It’s where you find out who you really are.”
Off the track, Kendricks is as grounded as they come.As a devout Christian, husband, father and US Army Reserve officer, he balances the pressures of elite competition with a life steeped in faith and family.
When asked what keeps him going, Kendricks didn’t hesitate. “It’s about showing my kids that you don’t give up. No matter what knocks you down, you get up and fight.”
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