Former gold medalist Roger Kingdom plans to be glued to Olympic coverage

Catching Roger Kingdom on a track is something few could do.

Reaching Kingdom, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 110-meter hurdles, during his vacation, especially one that happens to fall during the Olympic Games?

That's simply not going to happen.

Kingdom shuts off his work phone, kicks up his heels and watches not just track and field but every Olympic event. What he doesn't watch live, he records for later.

“A lot of people call you up for x, y and z, but during my vacation time, I go underground,” Kingdom said. “I go underground to the point where that is my time off, my recuperating time, and I like to recuperate by watching things that make me happy. The Olympic Games make me happy.”

With the competition in London less than two weeks away, Kingdom is one of many ex-Olympians who will be glued to the TV, viewing their glory days — the triumphs and the sorrows — through the lens of today's athletes.

For Kingdom, who has been in charge of the track and field and cross country programs at California University of Pennsylvania for the past eight years, that can be an emotionally draining endeavor.

“This time of the year is always exciting because it means that you can sit back and watch the young kids go through what you went through for so many years, chasing their dreams,” Kingdom said. “But the downside to that is those who fall short of their dream, experiencing that agony with them.”

Kingdom won gold medals in 1984 and 1988, becoming the second athlete to finish first in the 110 hurdles in consecutive Olympic Games. The second gold came in Seoul, South Korea, where the Monroeville resident became the first man to break the 13-second barrier in an Olympic final, finishing in 12.98.

The 2005 USA Track & Field Hall of Fame inductee traveled to this year's Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Ore., along with such legends as Gail Devers, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Carl Lewis.

The trip was special for Kingdom, allowing him to connect with many old friends, but he also had a front row seat for the dead heat in the women's 100 meters between Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh, perhaps the biggest track story of the year.

Kingdom, like many, watched the race over and over, poring over video and photos, still unable to decide on a winner. But he ultimately disagreed with USA Track & Field's decision to stage a runoff, which Tarmoh opted out of.

“What I would like to have seen happen is for USA Track & Field to say that they're taking both,” Kingdom said. “That would have put the pressure on the U.S. Olympic Committee to make a decision, and USA Track & Field would have appeared stronger than ever because they showed support for the athletes.”

Kingdom has been plenty busy at Cal U. The Vulcans have had at least one All-American each of the past five years, including hurdler Brice Myers, who missed an NCAA Division II national title by one hundredth of a second in 2011.

He also lost a race to the 49-year-old Kingdom.

“I beat him his sophomore year and I keep telling him, ‘You're only as good as your last race, and I whooped you your last race,' ” Kingdom said, breaking into laughter. “He keeps trying to come at me now. I told him I'd run against him.”

Myers might want to look out because, after about an eight-year hiatus, Kingdom is back training, inspired by friend and former Pitt sprinter Renee Henderson, who holds the USATF Masters records in the 60 and 200.

He's been working out regularly, one day focusing on endurance work, another day on sprints. Occasionally he runs a series of 200-meter sprints with a 25-pound weighted vest, and has even cleared 42-inch hurdles.

“Piece of cake,” Kingdom deadpanned.

But falling in line with his self-imposed restrictions, Kingdom won't truly ramp up his training until after the Olympics, after he has squeezed every ounce of joy and frustration out of the London Games.

“It revitalizes me to know that so many of these young athletes have worked so hard to reach their goals,” Kingdom said. “When I see that, I get ecstatic about it because that's what I preach to my young athletes all the time.”

Jason Mackey is a freelance writer.