Gold Medalist, NSU Alumnus Chris Brown Recalls Olympic Triumphs

An eight-time medalist, Australian swimmer Dawn Fraser may have summed up the aura surrounding the Olympic games better than anyone ever has.

“The Olympics remain the most compelling search for excellence that exists in sports, and maybe in life itself,” Fraser said.

Thousands of athletes from hundreds of nations, backgrounds, and origins take center stage with a pride and selfless motivation rarely seen in athletic competition. The task of representing one’s country provides once-in-a-lifetime stakes for all parties involved. 

The Norfolk State track & field program has enjoyed decades of unrivaled success across several conferences and levels. The Spartans have produced conference champions and all-Americans, and in multiple iconic cases, medal-earning Olympians.

It’s difficult to find a competitor who recognizes the weight of that world stage more than Norfolk State alumnus Chris Brown. A five-time Olympian, his presence at the peak competition spanned 16 years.

Growing up in Eleuthera, Bahamas, Brown always dreamed of representing his country at the Olympic Games. The ultimate milestone in the career of a track & field athlete, it becomes almost impossible not to fall in love with the prestige and aura of the event. 

Moving to the United States to pursue a collegiate education and further his track career, Norfolk State seemed like an obvious choice for Brown. With an established reputation at the highest levels of the sport, the Spartans had proven themselves capable of developing and maximizing talent.

Norfolk State’s head track & field coach at the time, Steve Riddick, held quite the resumé himself within the sport. Representing the United States, Riddick helped lead the 1976 4x100 relay team to a gold medal.

“I always wanted to attend an HBCU, so that was a key factor,” Brown said. “There’s nothing like having someone that paved the way for you. At NSU, you had a coach who went to the Olympic games, then following his legacy he produced Olympians. I’m seeing Olympians and Olympic medalists, so I felt like I’m falling right into the pedigree of what I’m looking for.”

As Brown quickly shot up the college ranks, the Olympic dreams he’d once envisioned became clearer and clearer. Fresh off earning All-American honors at the NCAA Outdoor Track Championships, his attention turned to qualifying for the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Feeling prepared for the next level, Brown cruised through the preliminary heats of the 400 meters during the Olympic Trials. He brought that same intensity into the final qualifying race, securing the necessary finish to punch his ticket to Sydney. 

“I picked the phone up and called my coach and told him I qualified for the games,” Brown said. “I was jumping for joy because the first goal was to get on the team. I couldn’t believe that I had actually qualified for my first Olympic games.”

When the time came for Brown to make the trip to Australia, he kept his circle tight. His parents could not afford to attend that year, so his party consisted of his teammates and Riddick.

The Spartan still had plenty of familiar faces around him, however. Former Norfolk State sprinters Tim Montgomery and Brian Lewis made the trip as members of the American 4x100 relay team, training with Riddick and Brown throughout the week. 

“Being around them made me feel comfortable,” Brown said. “They calmed those nerves down and prepped me before I stepped on the track, so it was good having them around to mentor and guide me through the journey. If not, I think I probably would have frozen up on that stage.”

Another close friend competed at the games for the Bahamas as well: Spartan alumnus Chandra Sturrup. One of the key lobbyists to bring Brown to Norfolk State, Sturrup made the second of her five Olympic appearances in the 100 meters in 2000.
Having the support of his peers helped, but interacting with athletes from many different sports made the Olympic Village a breakthrough experience for Brown. He still recalls the sense of amazement he felt meeting members of the United States men’s basketball team, including Vince Carter and Kevin Garnett.

With track slated for the back half of the Olympic schedule, the leadup felt long and nerve-wracking. But when Brown finally made his way onto the track in front of a packed Stadium Australia, he savored every moment.

“I’ll never forget it,” he said. “Everything inside you is shaking. It was exciting as much as it was nerve-wracking. It was a great moment and a great experience for me.”

Although he did not qualify for the 400-meter final individually, Brown earned bronze as part of the Bahamas’ 4x400 relay team. For the first time in his life, and far from the last, Brown could call himself an Olympic medalist. The Spartan community welcomed Brown back to Virginia in celebratory fashion a few weeks later, honoring him in a parade of all the school’s Olympians.

Across five Olympic appearances, Brown experienced cultures and hospitality from a wide array of destinations. The 2004 games took him to Athens, before heading to Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012. He completed his Olympic journey in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

Brown procured his best-ever individual finish at Beijing, earning fourth place in the 400 meters. His relay squad continued to make strides once again, securing the silver medal. 

Entering the London Olympics, only one thought entered Brown’s mind: bring home a gold medal. But the Bahamians would need to take down the powerhouse American team, winners of six of the last seven men’s 4x400 meter Olympic relays.

Brown and his teammates realized a change needed to occur to expect a different result. Instead of serving his previous role as the team’s anchor, Brown took the opening leg with the strategy of getting the squad off to an unquestionable start.

When the camera panned Brown’s way moments before the race, the veteran looked unfazed. He had a job to fulfill.

Brown gave everything he had for one full journey around the track.  As he handed the baton off to teammate Michael Mathieu, his most excruciating task laid ahead: awaiting the final result.

“Your heart is beating faster with every leg of the race,” Brown said. “You have to put all your trust in these guys, and my teammates trusted me to give a good first leg. But I felt confident in my teammates and complete our game plan.”

Heading into the final leg, the United States and Bahamas had separated from the pack, with the Americans holding a narrow lead. But after the final turn, Ramon Miller made his charge for the underdogs, sailing past his lone competitor. 

As Miller crossed the finish line, Brown rushed out as the first teammate to embrace him in celebration. The scale of the accomplishment hit the entire group during their ensuing victory lap and playing of the national anthem: the Bahamas had secured their first gold medal in the event’s 100-year history.

“It was an emotional moment for me,” Brown said. “It just shows that whatever you put your mind to, you can do it. You just have to believe in yourself and trust yourself.”

After a nearly 20-year professional career on the track, Brown’s last Olympic appearance came in 2016 in Rio De Janeiro. But he remained around the sport, taking an assistant coaching job with Clayton State in 2018. He has served as the track & field program’s head coach since 2019.

Norfolk State Director of Track & Field Kenneth Giles, and Brown’s event coach during his time at NSU, knew his former student-athlete would make the transition seamlessly. He offered one key piece of advice to Brown, though.

“There can never be a Chris Brown,” Giles said. “My advice to him has always been, ‘don’t expect them to be like you, man.’ Because Chris was special, he was truly special.”

Brown still tunes in for the Olympic games of course, admiring the competition from afar as someone who knows how it feels to reach that stage. He advises future Olympians to never take the experience for granted.

“I encourage every individual to take advantage of the time and embrace the moment,” Brown said. “Take the opportunity to make friendships, take the opportunity to build memories. Just go out there and represent your country to the best of your abilities, and just enjoy it because it won’t last forever.”