US Gold Hope Clayton Young Recalls Fighting Demons That Almost Made Him Quit Track and Field Ahead of 2024 Paris Olympics

NCAA Champion Clayton Young has secured a spot on the US National Team, but it hasn’t always been smooth sailing! His journey has been arduous, consisting of several ups and downs: an unsatisfactory trial in 2020, a few wins, and then a severe knee issue in 2023. 

But Young persevered and pushed himself to get back on the track. His resilience resulted in him winning several more championships to eventually becoming the 7th fastest American ever. With his eyes set on the French Capital, Young has opened up about his internal struggle back in 2023. Why did Clayton Young almost hang up his running shoes?

Post his disappointing debut at the 2020 Olympic Trials, Young was on a mission to earn his spot on the track. He then went on to win the US 15k Championships and ran a better time in 2022. But that is when things slowly started derailing. In December 2022, Young claimed to feel a sharp pain in his knee. 

Despite speaking to several professionals, it didn’t go away. So, as per his doctors, he decided to have knee surgery in February 2023. On an episode of The Dreamer’s Den Podcast, Young opened up about what post-ops was like. The host, Brad Robins asked him if he, at any point, decided to give up. “Yeah, I, I remember a very specific moment, actually two months or maybe about six weeks after knee surgery, I had been running, I had done the warmup of this workout,” Young honestly answered. 

He continued, “I was ready to get on the track with some of my teammates to do this workout and my knee was hurting and I was like, dang it.  Like I had just gone through all this rehab, I’d just done knee surgery and all I wanted to do was just work out. Like I just wanted to run, like just let me run.” Staying off his feet must’ve been incredibly frustrating for Young. 

Thinking back to his feelings, he stated “Why, why did I, like, why did I go through knee? Like why did I do all this for nothing? And you know, it was the last essential hiccup before I finally had my breakthrough, ironically, right?” Just days after this incident, Young pushed himself to do more by working on his knee. This helped because he didn’t have any other issues moving forward. 

But he shed light on a poignant moment with his teammates. “I remember some very poignant texts thereafter from Jared Ward and Connor Manz, my teammates essentially saying like, Hey, we saw you today,” Young shared. “Like, yes, we saw you on that athletic training table, you know, wrestling with the demons inside. But that’s, that’s the moments that I remember where I think I was gonna quit.” Young’s recovery was grueling. But he has since found his way back to the track.

Clayton Young shifts his focus to Paris

Young has shifted gears and is now focused on the ultimate goal: The 2024 Paris Olympics. He came one step closer to that dream in the US Olympic Trials by clinching second place, finishing the race in 2:09:06. He had finally secured a spot on the US national team. One of his motivators during the Trials was his close friend and training partner, Conner Mantz. Young and Mantz crossed the finish line 1.19 seconds apart. Shedding some light on the trials, Young disclosed, “When I think of why I stuck by Conner in the Olympic trials, it’s because I knew I would be better in Paris with Conner by my side.” 

 Now, with his eyes set on striking gold at the French capital, Young hopes to focus on fine-tuning his training to help both mentally and physically. This is so he can ensure he’s at his peak when it matters. He looks forward to diligently following rigorous training sessions with strategic recovery sessions to retain his form.   

Clayton Young’s track and field journey has had its ups and downs. From battling his inner demons to overcoming an intense knee injury and qualifying for the Olympics, he seems to have done it all. As he prepares to set foot on the tracks at the Olympics, the whole world will be watching in anticipation. Will Clayton Young be able to turn his challenges into the coveted Olympic gold? Only time will tell.