When Deena Kastor was 11 years old, she watched the telecast of the women’s marathon at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and found a role model in gold-medal winner Joan Benoit.
“Everybody who had the privilege of watching that race, either in person or on their televisions at home, would attest that it inspired them no matter what their profession was or what their joys in sport were,” Kastor says. “It was an amazing feat.”
Last summer, Cera Franchini, 14, watched Kastor win a bronze medal in the Athens Olympic marathon and was similarly inspired.
“I found it really exciting,” said Franchini, who lives in Longmont. “I was really happy for her.”
Franchini had more than a casual interest in Kastor. When Franchini ran her first Bolder Boulder in 2001, Kastor won and gave Franchini the American flag she carried the last 200 meters of the race along with an autographed picture. Those souvenirs are in the Franchini family cedar chest with other childhood memories.
“It was very exciting for her to be able to root for somebody she actually knew,” said Franchini’s father, John. “She was on the edge of her chair.”
Franchini ran track in middle school and plans to do so again next year at Longmont High School, where she will be a sophomore.
“I actually do find that she inspires me,” Franchini said of Kastor. “She inspired me in school to do better at track and stuff.”
U.S. pro teams
Women
Colleen de Reuck, 41, Boulder
Elva Dryer, 33, Albuquerque
Jen Rhines, 30, Ardmore, Pa.
Men
Pete Julian, 34, Boulder
Austin Vigil, 23, Fort Collins
Jason Hubbard, 30, Alamosa
