Taylor will make a run at Atlanta

The pride an athlete feels when donning a Penn uniform is often immeasurable. However, it can be equally short-lived. Graduation arrives, and the playing field turns into the office or boardroom. But one Penn grad has become an exception to this inevitable rule. Javelin thrower and College graduate John Taylor has been able to prolong his career in track and field and show his prowess to the entire United States in the process. The last week of May, Taylor competed in the Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association Championships (IC4As) in Fairfax, Va., along with the rest of his fellow Quakers. Penn placed eighth overall, but the team's finish paled in comparison to Taylor's performance. Taylor's throw of 237 feet, 9 inches earned him a second-place finish in the javelin. More importantly, the toss propelled Taylor into the NCAA championships in Knoxville, Tenn., for the third-consecutive year. Taylor first made the NCAAs as a sophomore at Brown University. The two years he spent at Brown before transferring to Penn were perhaps the most important in his career because he was able to train under the supervision of Tom Pukstys. Pukstys is the premier javelin thrower in the United States and meshed with Taylor the instant they met. He taught Taylor all about technique, which is important because at 5 feet, 11 inches Taylor is undersized compared to most throwers. Taylor achieved all-American status after transferring to Penn for his junior season and promised to deliver nothing but the best as a senior. The campaign began with a bang when he recorded his best throw as a Quaker at the Raleigh Relays in March. But then the troubles began. Soon after his record-breaking throw, Taylor injured his groin, then proceeded to sprain his ankle. The hobbled Taylor was unable to compete in the majority of the spring invitationals. But once he was healed, he let out his frustrations at one of the nation's most prestigious track meets. At the Penn Relays, Taylor placed second in the javelin and regained the confidence he lost while he was sitting out. His confidence strengthened by his IC4A performance, Taylor was en fuego heading into the biggest meet of his life. The NCAAs arrived, but perhaps too quickly. Immediately after qualifying for the meet, the injury bug again bit Taylor. This time he strained his back and practiced only sparingly before heading for Knoxville. But once it was his turn to throw, he put the pain aside and let it rip. His throw of 230-4 placed Taylor seventh in the country and earned Penn two points as a team. This was the first time in eight years the Quakers scored in the meet. Taylor's seventh-place finish was his best ever at the NCAAs, improving upon his ninth- and 11th-place finishes the previous two seasons. In addition, his historic throw not only put him third in the college rankings -- and ninth in the overall U.S. rankings -- but it qualified him for the United States Olympic Festival. The 22-year-old Taylor was the youngest javelin thrower in the country and was delaying his entrance into the real world for a prolonged stint in fantasyland. Unfortunately for Taylor, he was forced to quickly return to reality. After a month of preparation for the Festival, Taylor took to the runway ready to show off his ability to the premier track and field athletes of the country. He charged down the track, planted, and threw. However, somewhere between the plant and the throw, lightning struck again. Taylor felt a stinging in his foot. After his toss of 224 feet, he removed his shoe to reveal a ghastly sight. When he planted to throw, somehow the tip of his shoe ripped forward, tearing off the nail of his big toe. The painful injury prevented him from throwing again in the meet, and left him thinking about what could have been. To answer that question, Taylor chose the logical option -- to train with Pukstys again. Starting Sep. 6, Taylor will be in Providence working around the clock with his mentor until next summer's Olympic Trials. "Living together for six to eight months will only help John," Taylor's mother said. "It will give him a chance to work at doing nothing but bettering his throws." As Taylor's career continues, each meet becomes the biggest of his life. But the objective remains the same: "To make the Olympics," Taylor said, "that's the goal."