The Daily Pennsylvanian is a student-run nonprofit.

Please support us by disabling your ad blocker on our site.

Jon Drummond competes in last year's USA vs. the World 4X100-meter relay. Drummond expects this year's Penn Relays to be good preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games. [Caroline New/DP File Photos]

It is not what 35-year-old Jon Drummond wants to be the defining moment of his career. However, it may be.

On Aug. 24, 2003, at the World Championships at St. Denis, France -- located just outside Paris -- Drummond was disqualified for a false start in his quarterfinal heat in the 100-meter race.

There had already been a false start recorded in the same race, by Jamaica's Dwight Thomas. Under a new International Association of Athletics Federations rule instituted for 2003, another false start by any competitor would result in that person's disqualification, regardless of whether or not he caused the first false start.

The rule was made so that track and field would look better on television, in an attempt to avoid the multiple false starts that could occur. Previously a competitor was only disqualified after personally committing two false starts.

As he was waiting for the starter's gun, Drummond's back foot flinched. The computers recorded that Drummond had started early. He was disqualified.

It was what he did next that made news all over the world. After Drummond was told of the ruling, he protested by laying down on the track.

He actually laid down both to protest and because it was a more comfortable position -- Drummond thought that he would still be allowed to race under protest, so he did not want to cramp up.

"I stood up by laying down," he said.

Eventually, to avoid further controversy, the IAAF asked Drummond not to continue competing. He left the stadium and withdrew from the rest of the World Championships.

Drummond's stunt lasted only six minutes, but the angry crowd at Stade de France booed and hissed at the officials, holding up the meet for 45 minutes. The crowd had seen replays supporting Drummond's case.

Despite the controversy caused in Paris, and harsh criticism by many, including former top U.S. sprinter Michael Johnson, Drummond insists that he does not regret what he did, and feels that the world supports him.

"I've gotten more positive feedback from what I did in Paris than negative," he said.

According to an article in the French magazine L'Equipe published Dec. 6, 2003, the judge who disqualified Drummond looked at the tape with Drummond in his Las Vegas home, and admitted that there appeared to be no intent to deceive in Drummond's flinching.

The official, Didier Mathieu, also concedes that a similar flinching made by the runner next to him, Thomas, was not recorded by the computer.

Now almost a year removed from the incident, Drummond is returning home to Philadelphia, where he graduated from Overbrook High School in 1986.

Drummond relishes competing at the Penn Relays in front of the home crowd, and ranks the experience as high as other competitions throughout the world.

"It's always a joy and pleasure to compete in front of your home crowd," he said.

Drummond's personal highlight in his years at the Penn Relays came in 1990, when he ran the anchor leg for the championship Texas Christian University Horned Frogs in both the 4x100m and 4x200m races.

This is coming from the same man who ran at the Penn Relays with track superstars Michael Johnson and Carl Lewis.

In this Olympic year, Drummond believes that the Penn Relays will be an excellent preview of the athletes to watch going into qualifying and then the actual Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

As a child, Drummond had spina bifida, a birth defect that results in the incomplete closure of the spine. Often, victims have mental retardation and could be paralyzed.

Doctors did not think that Drummond would ever be able to walk, but clearly he has proven them wrong.

He was not the best athlete in high school, and because of his condition, was discouraged from playing contact sports like football.

However, Drummond persevered, and ended up having "as much of a normal childhood as anyone else."

This ability to overcome adversity is reflected in Drummond's charitable foundation, With Purpose, which attempts to help disadvantaged students overcome their own challenges.

"It's all founded on perseverence," he said.

One of Drummond's favorite sayings for the foundation comes from I Corinthians 9:26: "So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step."

It is this dedication and purpose that Drummond hopes to use this weekend in his attempts to win gold in the 100m sprint and the 4x100m relays on Saturday.

If he succeeds, the memories of Paris will surely be forgotten, and the "Clown Prince of Track" will once again be beloved.

Comments powered by Disqus

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.