Victory tastes even sweeter when your kin also celebrate your feats. And when the whole city decides to be a part of your legacy, even better! Last year, the Dallas Independent School District board hailed Sha’Carri Richardson with a special honor when they named the track at the John Kincaide Stadium after the sprinter. Now, a similar milestone has seated Cole Hocker in the same league as the 24-year-old.

A post by Indianapolis City-County District 4 Councilor Nick Roberts on X from September 30 has shed light on how the city tipped its hat toward the life and achievements of the American middle-distance runner. “September 30th, 2024 is officially Cole Hocker Day in Indianapolis!” reads the post’s caption, as the accompanying image shows Roberts and Hocker posing for the camera. Subsequently, after revealing the monumental news, the councilor noted how it was also a massive moment for him by virtue of knowing Hocker for a long time.

“I’ve known Cole since Middle School, so it’s a joy to have many of our old coaches and teammates there to celebrate Cole and his incredible Olympic Gold Medal and All-Time Record at the 1500 Meter event,” writes Roberts in his social media update, referring to the Olympian’s American and Olympic record in the distance. With this titular honor, Hocker now joins Richardson in the same elite group of track and field athletes.

In 2023, thanks to Sha’Carri’s World Championships exploits, the city of Dallas decided to nod its head toward the Olympic runner in the most emphatic way possible. In the same place where she attended elementary through high school, she was bestowed with the rare honor. Naturally, Richardson was elated by this show of respect.

“This means so much if you from the city, you know the stadium is rooted in memories, I’m literally speechless,” Sha’Carri told NBC Sports on October 20 last year. This year, she returned to the city for the first time as a two-time Olympic medalist to officially unveil the track. “It’s an honour,” Richardson told Olympics.com last week. But Hocker and Richardson aren’t the only ones who have the boasting rights to such an distinction.

Sha’Carri Richardson and Cole Hocker are in good company

In 200, 9x Olympic gold medalist and track and field legend Carl Lewis also had a track named after him at his alma mater, the University of Houston. King Carl now coaches on the very same tracks, the Carl Lewis International Complex, to guide blooming athletes to international fame. Just four days ago, Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred, who beat Richardson to gold in the women’s 100m sprint at the 2024 Olympics, saw her city residents joining hands to commemorate her Parisian achievement. September 27 was named Julien Alfred Day by the townsfolk of Castries, the capital of the Caribbean nation, along with a long list of gifts coming the sprinter’s way. “The past four days here on island has been nothing short of amazing!” wrote Alfred on Instagram.

Baylor University named its track facility after the enigmatic Michael Johnson, celebrating his illustrious career on the tracks. On the other hand, the Hayward Field at the University of Oregon is a name that is often overshadowed by the term “Pre’s Track”, as a nod to the legendary Steve Prefontaine. Who would you want to see join this elite group of athletes next? Tell us with a comment!