Olympian Justin Gatlin returns to Pensacola to share life story

Justin Gatlin gets to embrace his life story Thursday night in the community where it began.

The first area showing of his documentary, "Rise Again" will be viewed by Gatlin, his family, friends and a sellout audience at the Pensacola Little Theater. The documentary deals with his early career triumphs, capped by the gold medal win at 100 meters in the 2004 Summer Olympics, then his comeback from a four-year ban, after a failed drug test in 2006.

"There are many of us in the community, who have always had a certain belief in Justin and respect for him, and the way he has handled everything he has been through," said Ray Palmer, executive director of Pensacola Sports, which has organized the event as well as a public showing of the documentary on Monday.

"The opportunity came for us to not only recognize his tremendous accomplishments and what he's done in track and in the Olympics, but everything else he has done and what he's meant to this community," Palmer said. "In the past two Olympics, Justin has faced arguably the greatest sprinter of all time (Jamaica's Usain Bolt) in great races.."

Gatlin, who turned 35 on Feb. 10, became the oldest sprinter in world track and field history to win a medal in a non-relay, sprint event when he finished second to Bolt in Rio last August in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Gatlin, who grew up in Pensacola and graduated from Woodham High, has won medals in the past two Olympiads and five overall. But winning the U.S. Olympic Trials as Gatlin did last year at 35-years-old was considered an incredible feat itself. He followed by getting the silver in the Olympics.

"We were are excited and honored that we were approached at the right time in the process of this (documentary) being developed," Palmer said. "There was an opportunity for us to take the lead on it. We are really excited what we are going to see (Thursday night).

"We were trying to figure out how to do it last fall and we just could not put all the pieces together until.now. This date falls right before he begins training for the season and it's at time when we could host it."

Melissa Bruce, event coordinator of Pensacola Sports, met with Gatlin's parents in setting up a guest list for Thursday's event that will include more than 120 high school or youth-age track athletes from the Pensacola area.

"When I first met with the Gatlins, a big message for us was... who would Justin want to be there?," Bruce said. "This is where it all started for him. And he is getting to share that with kids who are his age when he started competing."

Two youth track club teams, the Gatlin Guns and Golden Elite Track Club, are part of the group. Student track athletes from Woodham Middle School will also be attending.

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In addition, Gatlin will be joined by his manager, Renaldo Nehemiah, who in 1981 became the first sprint-hurdler in world history to break the 13-second barrier in the 110 hurdles. Nehemiah was the world No. 1 ranked sprint-hurdler in this event for four years, but had misfortune of his career coinciding when the U.S. boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics.

Nehemiah has been Gatlin's vigorous advocate during his entire track career, including the four-year ban.

"Many of the kids at the event only know of Justin's success after the ban," Palmer said. "So we want them to celebrate that portion as well. But it's also Justin's opportunity to tell that his side of the story (from the ban). It's an honor for us to be able to do that."

Gatlin has not ruled out the chance to make the U.S. Olympic team for the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo. Part of these next two years of running in the outdoor world track season will determine the viability.

Want To Go?

What: Public showing: Rise Again, The Justin Gatlin Story

When: Monday, 6 p.m.

Where: Pensacola Little Theater 

Tickets: $5

Background: Documentary on Gatlin's life, beginning with his success at Woodham High and Tennessee, through the Olympics and his dramatic comeback after testing positive for a banned substance