SPC Honors Olympians

Renny Quow of Tobago had a welcome home from the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing that he is not likely to forget.

South Plains College held a reception honoring current athlete Quow and former Texan track star, Andrae Williams, in the Sundown Room on the main campus.

“We had just finished our 50th anniversary last year with national championships in both men’s basketball and outdoor track and field,” said Joe Tubb, athletic director of SPC.  “I guess these young men right here just put a little icing on the cake.”

Quow, a sophomore at SPC, went back home to Tobago over the summer to place first in his country’s Olympic trials.  When asked if he was the best in Trinidad and Tobago in the event, he just smiled and simply stated, “Yes.”

According to Chris Beene, head coach of track and cross country at SPC, Quow continually trained for the games throughout the summer.

“Renny developed a lot of his base work here with my assistant, Blaine Wiley,” said Beene during the conference.  “He also had a coach that worked with him right up to Beijing.”

Quow was attending his first Olympics at the age of 21.

“He was the youngest person competing in the finals of his event,” said Beene, “and that says a lot.”

But that did not concern Quow one bit.

“It just felt like another track meet, you know,” said Quow.  “It just felt like I was running back here at SPC.”

Quow was also the only competitor in the event still with college eligibility.  Little did Quow know that he would be giving SPC one of the biggest publicity boosts it has gotten in quite a while.  NBC broadcaster, Bob Coastas, would mention both SPC and Levelland in Quow’s introduction.

“I was sitting in my chair at home watching and when I heard them say ‘South Plains College’ I wasn’t too sure if I was in the chair or not,” said Beene.

It was reported that approximately 70 million people were watching that particular event that night.

“It was marketing and advertising that we could never pay for,” said Sports Information Director, Darin Allred.  “70 million people heard about our school on national T.V.  It was just amazing.”

After the introductions, it was time for Quow to run.  He began the race on a rain-soaked track in lane 2. 

“They had some pretty tough conditions to run in due to the fact that it had rained all day prior to the race,” said Allred.

Quow finished the race in 7th place with an impressive time of 45.22 seconds, a heartbreaking .42 seconds behind the bronze medal qualifier.

“Renny had run faster times than that in his earlier races,” said Allred.

In fact, Quow had actually qualified for the finals with a 44.82, the same time that he recorded at SPC a few months earlier to set the new Texan 400 meter time.

“After he ran his race he was just a little down and frustrated,” said Beene.  “But his coach and I were like, ‘Man, you just went to the finals in the Olympics. That’s amazing!’”

Quow was just so disappointed that he missed out on his medal, but he is already looking to the future.

“I wanted to get a medal so bad, and I was so close to getting one,” said Quow.  “But I’ll probably get one next year at the World Championships.”

For Quow’s participation in the finals he received a certificate stating his achievement.  But this certificate is not simply printed on paper.

“It is hand printed on Chinese silk,” said Allred.

Quow looks back on his experience in Beijing and sees nothing but good memories.

“The experience was good,” said Quow.  “The Olympics are all about having fun, even though when you go to the track you’re anxious, you just have to go out and do your best.”

Both Quow and Williams were presented keys to the city by City Manager, Rick Osburn, and they also received an official college flag from SPC President, Dr. Kelvin Sharp.

“We hope that next time that you make your run around the track, you can carry the flag of your college, as well as the flag of your country,” said Sharp.

Quow is ready to represent his country in next year’s World Championships, and also the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England.

“I’m really looking forward to the Games in 2012,” said Quow.  “I’m gonna bring home a medal.”

There were approximately 50 people in attendance of the reception for the athletes.  Photo opportunities and time to talk to the Olympians were reserved at the beginning and end of the event.

(Story courtesy Jacob Taylor of the Levelland News Press)