Article Options

Price-Smith a witness to history in Beijing

Sunday, September 7, 2008 11:22 PM CDT

The Southern

CARBONDALE - Southern Illinois University track and field head coach Connie Price-Smith recently returned from a month long trip to the Olympic games in Beijing, China where she was an assistant coach for the U.S. Track and Field team.

Price-Smith was an assistant coach in throws for the U.S and also helped guide Stephanie Brown Tafton to the first gold medal in women's discus since 1932. It was only the second medal of any kind in U.S. history in the event. She assisted 11 women with the shot put, javelin, hammer throw and discus.

"It was an awesome experience," Price-Smith said. "It was a lot of work, and the time commitment was a lot but it was well worth it."

Price-Smith entered the Games as a coach after previously competing as an athlete in four Olympics in the shot put and discus. She placed fifth in the 1996 Atlanta Games and won medals in the Pan Am games. Price-Smith took silver in the 1995 World Indoor and bronze in the 1998 World Cup.

One of the highlights for the U.S. and Price-Smith, who will begin her eighth season with the Salukis this spring, was watching a U.S. discus thrower bring home the gold. While Price-Smith was not Brown-Tafton's personal coach, she said she felt a sense of pride watching an athlete she helped get on the medal stand.

"I've known her for a very long time, and I've watched her grow up, and it was nice to see her win a gold medal and nice to see someone in an event I competed in win a gold medal," Price-Smith said.

Because of time restrictions, Price-Smith didn't get to watch any other sport besides track and field but did get to see the Great Wall of China on her final day in the country.

- SIU Media Services