Andretti Bain... Olympic Silver Medalist!!!

[ORU Big Brother]

Bahamas places second behind USA. Andretti ran the opening leg!!!

[TrueBlue82]

Sweet - Congrats to Andretti!

[theeagleman5]

WOW!....i assume this is a first...an ORU Olympic medalist...sensational job by Andretti and the Bahamian team!..........

[LarryL]

I was also going to ask if this was the first Olympic medalist from ORU.  Back in the '70s there was a Madelyn Manning Mims associated with ORU.  I don't remember if she was a medalist, competed in the Olympics, or was just fast.  Maybe someone remembers. 

[TrueBlue82]

I was also going to ask if this was the first Olympic medalist from ORU.  Back in the '70s there was a Madelyn Manning Mims associated with ORU.  I don't remember if she was a medalist, competed in the Olympics, or was just fast.  Maybe someone remembers. 

Madeline won gold and silver medals, but this was BEFORE her affiliation with ORU (I believe she completed her undergraduate studies at Tennessee State and then pursued a master's degree at ORU).  I've attached an interesting article regarding faith and the Beijing Olympics which quotes Manning Mims.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/05/AR2008080503315.html

[Bogus Smith]

As a side note, Madeline is currently pursuing her Doctorate degree in Theology at ORU.  Andretti will be finishing up his degree requirements at ORU this fall.

[Bogus Smith]

Bain Helps Bahamas to Olympic Silver Medal in 4x400 Relay 

Courtesy: ORU Media Relations

Former ORU track All-American Andretti Bain (Nassau, Bahamas) helped lead his native country to a silver medal in the Olympic men’s 4x 400 meter relay, Saturday at National Stadium in Beijing.

Bain, the 2008 NCAA indoor and outdoor 400m national champion and a 3-time All-American, is ORU’s first-ever Olympic medalist in any sport.

“He’s had a great year,” said ORU track and field head coach Joe Dial. “We put a plan in place at the beginning of the year and set goals of winning two national championships and an Olympic medal, and it all came together. We’re so proud of him. It’s been an amazing run.”

Bain and his Bahamian teammates ran the relay in 2:58.03, just edging out Russian Federation (2:58.06) and finishing behind the United States’ Olympic record time of 2:55.39.

Running the lead leg out of lane five, Bain opened in 45.92 and then had to stand by and watch his teammates finish the race. It was clear after the third handoff that Bahamas was going to win a medal, but only a late surge by anchor Chris Brown gave the Bahamians silver, their first Olympic medal in the 4x400 relay.

[Bogus Smith]

Bain Helps Bahamas to Olympic Silver Medal in 4x400 Relay 

Courtesy: ORU Media Relations

Former ORU track All-American Andretti Bain (Nassau, Bahamas) helped lead his native country to a silver medal in the Olympic men’s 4x 400 meter relay, Saturday at National Stadium in Beijing.

Bain, the 2008 NCAA indoor and outdoor 400m national champion and a 3-time All-American, is ORU’s first-ever Olympic medalist in any sport.

“He’s had a great year,” said ORU track and field head coach Joe Dial. “We put a plan in place at the beginning of the year and set goals of winning two national championships and an Olympic medal, and it all came together. We’re so proud of him. It’s been an amazing run.”

Bain and his Bahamian teammates ran the relay in 2:58.03, just edging out Russian Federation (2:58.06) and finishing behind the United States’ Olympic record time of 2:55.39.

Running the lead leg out of lane five, Bain opened in 45.92 and then had to stand by and watch his teammates finish the race. It was clear after the third handoff that Bahamas was going to win a medal, but only a late surge by anchor Chris Brown gave the Bahamians silver, their first Olympic medal in the 4x400 relay.

I guess this is a matter of semantics.  We may need to either change the script for introductions at the next Hall of Fame inductees next winter or embrace ALL of our Olympians as our own - one or the other.  I don't think that Madeline would have made ORU's HOF if she wasn't considered an ORU Olympian (or there some other accomplishment that endears us to her as an athlete?)

With Andretti's medal, we should be considering an "Olympic Corner" at the Mabee Center or on campus to start promoting our Olympic experiences as a school.

[tmh8286]

I guess this is a matter of semantics.  We may need to either change the script for introductions at the next Hall of Fame inductees next winter or embrace ALL of our Olympians as our own - one or the other.  I don't think that Madeline would have made ORU's HOF if she wasn't considered an ORU Olympian (or there some other accomplishment that endears us to her as an athlete?)

With Andretti's medal, we should be considering an "Olympic Corner" at the Mabee Center or on campus to start promoting our Olympic experiences as a school.

That's a great point, Bogus, that I'd never considered - 3M made the Athletic HOF at ORU without ever having competed at ORU.  It's interesting that she was chosen.

[LarryL]

If I remember right, she was a real ambassador of good will for ORU - did some speaking, shared in chapel a few times, etc.

[tmh8286]

Yes - and she still participates at many ORU events. 

[LarryL]

Oral Roberts was the  master at using notoriety of people for PR purposes - in a good way.  Someone help me with this too - didn't she compete in an Olympics after coming to ORU, but didn't do as well that time around?

[ORU Big Brother]

Oral Roberts was the  master at using notoriety of people for PR purposes - in a good way.  Someone help me with this too - didn't she compete in an Olympics after coming to ORU, but didn't do as well that time around?

Nope. She never competed in track for ORU, and won all her medals before her association with the University began in 1979.

http://www.usatf.org/halloffame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=100

[LarryL]

in 1980, at the age of 32, won the U.S. Olympic Trials. Only the U.S. boycott of the Moscow Games kept her out of her fourth Olympiad.

Thanks for the info.  Maybe this was what I was thinking of.  I knew she was associated with ORU before I left in 1979, and she was going to try again in 1980 - Carter took care of that! (actually, probably a good decision)

[theeagleman5]

thanks, LL...for reminding me of another reason why Jimmy Carter was the worst US President of our lifetime.....

[ttowncount]

I felt like an Aggie betting on the replay while cheering Andretti on tonight!  Was great to see him and his team win the silver ... I'm anxious to see the metal!  And congrats to team USA for such a solid victory!

[golden girl]

Congrats Andretti!!!