Track & Field

How did it feel to win gold and bronze at the 2020 Olympics?

Olympic Success: A Humble Athlete's Unexpected Triumph

I felt pretty good for myself. My mom, my family, my city, everyone was super proud of me. I've always been like a laid back, chill guy. And I was pretty excited myself. I felt pretty good too just to have those accolades under my name. And just to have the support from my family and my city, and everyone that had been around me, my friends, and everybody to see that I've been working so hard to achieve those things. And I never saw myself doing this. So for me to be in this moment to have this type of success, I'm truly thankful and grateful. And it just allows me to see that all the hard work that I've been putting in that year, it kind of paid off in a way. It was still some goals that I left out that I didn't really get to do. But we still have some more opportunities to try to achieve those goals. But I felt pretty good about it. And it's one of the most memorable moments I have in my life right now.

I felt proud of myself and grateful for the support of my family, friends and city when I achieved success. It was a memorable moment for me and I'm looking forward to achieving more goals in the future.

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Winning gold and bronze at the 2020 Olympics felt amazing. It brought a sense of pride not just for myself, but also for my mom, family, and city who were incredibly proud of me. As a laid-back and chill person, I was genuinely excited about the achievement and having those accolades associated with my name. The support from my loved ones, friends, and everyone who has been there throughout my journey meant a lot to me. I never imagined myself reaching this level of success, so it was a truly humbling experience. It reinforced the fact that all the hard work and dedication I had put in paid off. While there were still some goals I hadn't achieved, it gave me confidence that there are more opportunities ahead to strive for them. Overall, winning at the Olympics is one of the most memorable moments in my life so far, and I am immensely grateful for it.

LSU: A Homecoming Decision for Louisiana Native Athlete

I chose LSU because, well, if anybody didn't know, I'm born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. So it go back way to 2011 when Dennis Shaver, Coach Dennis Shaver, he came to my house to recruit me out of high school. And he also was the first school to, the first Power Five school to actually like recruit me because I wasn't really heavily recruited. So, you know, just me being a Louisiana kid, you know, it was always a great thing to just be home close to the family type of thing. So, you know, even though I went to junior college at South Plains for two years and I ended up coming back to LSU, I just wanted to be closer to home, closer to my family because family is everything to me. And that's how I ended up choosing to stay at LSU, just to be home, being Louisiana. I've been here my whole life. So, you know, it's a great thing when you could just represent your home state. So that's how I feel about it. You know, just staying home, representing. And, you know, that's how I came about choosing LSU.

I chose LSU because I'm from Louisiana and Coach Nick Saban came to my house to recruit me out high school. I wanted to stay close to home, so I ended up transferring back to LSU so that I could represent my home state.

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I chose LSU because I was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. The decision goes all the way back to 2011 when Coach Dennis Shaver personally recruited me out of high school. LSU was the first Power Five school to show interest in me, as I wasn't heavily recruited. Being a Louisiana kid, it meant a lot to have the opportunity to stay close to home and be with my family. Although I spent two years at South Plains junior college, coming back to LSU allowed me to be in familiar surroundings and represent my home state. Family is everything to me, so being able to stay connected and represent Louisiana was a significant factor in my decision. That's how I ultimately chose LSU.

What do you like the most about running the 400?

The Thrill of Competing in the 400-Meter Race

What I like most about running the 400? Don't like it too much. No, I'm just kidding. But I like just to compete. I think that's the most thing I would say. I like to compete in the 400. But the 400 meters in the US, it's a lot of depth and a lot of guys who are really, really extremely great runners in the 400 meters. And for myself, just to be out there in that field, in that competitive spirit with those guys, that's one of the things I like the most. I just like to compete at the end of the day. And it's nothing that I don't dislike about it or anything. But probably just the feel of it. I don't know. It's kind of weird. I like to feel the lactic and the pain afterwards and stuff like that. But most importantly, I just like to compete and just go after it. And it's knowing that the work that I put in, that I'm going to see the results. Because the 400 meters nowadays, it's becoming like a real sprint. And guys are really attacking it. And it's really fun to be a part of. It's really fun to watch and see all those other guys running pretty well in it too as well. So I'm excited about it. And I just enjoy doing it.

I like to compete in the 400 meter race, as there is a lot of depth and great runners. It's fun to see all the other guys running well and to feel the lactic pain afterwards.

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What I like most about running the 400 meters is the opportunity to compete. The depth of talent in the US for this event is impressive, and being able to compete alongside those exceptional runners is a highlight for me. At the end of the day, I simply enjoy the competitive spirit of the sport. There's nothing that I particularly dislike about running the 400 meters. I appreciate the unique feeling it brings, such as experiencing lactic acid buildup and post-race soreness. Above all, I find satisfaction in knowing that my hard work will yield results. The 400 meters has evolved into a true sprinting event nowadays, with athletes pushing their limits. It's exciting to be part of and witness the success of other athletes in this discipline. Overall, I genuinely enjoy engaging in this event and embracing the thrill of competition.

How track changed my life forever - a personal journey

What did track mean to me as a kid? Well as a kid I wasn't really too familiar with the sport itself. I grew up playing basketball my entire life so that's all I knew was basketball basketball. I didn't really start track till like my junior year of high school so you know I think that's when I could say you know track started to mean a little bit something to me but at the time I was still very you know not too familiar with the sport and I was just learning as I go on and you know just out there with my friends just something to do type of thing but track definitely means a lot to me now than it did when I was a kid. It changed my life forever in many ways that I'm super grateful and super thankful for so yeah.

As a kid, I didn't really know much about track and wasn't too familiar with it. It's only been since high school that it has become something more meaningful to me and has changed my life forever in many ways.

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What did track mean to me as a kid? Initially, I wasn't too familiar with the sport. Basketball was my main focus growing up, so that's what I knew and played. It wasn't until my junior year of high school that I started getting into track. Even then, I was still learning and not fully invested in the sport. It was just something to do with my friends at the time. However, now track means a lot more to me than it did as a kid. It has had a profound impact on my life in ways that I am incredibly grateful and thankful for. It has changed my life forever, and I value it greatly.

What are you most excited about going into the 2023 outdoor season?

Anticipation for 2023 Outdoor Season Brimming with High-Level Performances

I'm excited about just seeing everyone perform at a high level. I think the start of this indoor season, we off to a great start. We've seen a lot of great performances indoors already with American records, world records. So going into this outdoor season for 2023, I think it's gonna be really, really exciting, not just for myself, but for everyone else. And for us, even looking back at last year at World Championships in Eugene, we came away with a historical number of medals with everybody in the US. But one of the most things I'm excited about is trying to be consistent and also just trying to improve on a day to day basis and be at where I wanna be at for this year. Because this year, it could be some new faces always in the US on the US team. And that's always the goal to make the US team. But I'm just excited about my personal development, personal growth as an athlete and as a person on and off the track. So I'm always excited into the new year with new goals, new opportunities to meet people and just to run well and be healthy at the end of the year as well. So that's the one thing I'm most excited about. So last one. Yeah, hello there. I'm constantly looking forward to seeing you every year, Rugby World Cup

I'm excited for the start of this outdoor season and to continue my personal development as an athlete and a person. I'm looking forward to meeting new people, running well, and staying healthy throughout the year.

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I'm most excited about seeing everyone perform at a high level in the upcoming 2023 outdoor season. The start of this indoor season has already been impressive, with incredible performances, including American records and world records. Looking back at the historical number of medals we achieved at the World Championships in Eugene last year, it's motivating to strive for consistency and continuous improvement. There may be new faces on the US team this year, and my goal is always to make the team. Personally, I'm excited about my own development and growth as an athlete and individual both on and off the track. Each new year brings fresh goals, opportunities to meet new people, and the desire to perform well while maintaining good health. That's what I'm most excited about going into the 2023 outdoor season - my personal journey and the chance to run strong while staying healthy.

What’s the hardest part of a 400m race?

The Hardest Part of a 400m Race: Finishing Strong

I would say the hardest part of the 400, it would probably be the finish. Because as you see and you watch the race, a lot of us 400 meter runs, we get into a really good rhythm. Early on in the race, between 250 to 300, that's where the race really start to kick in at. And so a lot of the time, that usually what the hardest and most difficult part be at, and just trying to finish that part. Because a lot of us can get to 250, 300 about at the same pace, same speed. But it's about that last 100 meters to see who really have that grit and that gut to finish pretty at an efficient level. So I always think that the last part of the 400, the last 100 meters, last 120, last 110 is always the hardest part, just to try to finish at a very efficient rate.

The hardest part of a 400m race is the last 100-110 meters, as it takes a lot of grit and determination to finish with proper form and efficiency.

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The hardest part of a 400m race is typically the finish. During the race, runners often find a good rhythm and hit their stride between 250 to 300 meters. However, it is during the final 100 meters that the race becomes truly challenging. This is where runners need to dig deep and showcase their determination and grit to finish strong. While many athletes can maintain a similar pace up to 250 or 300 meters, it is the last portion of the race, around the last 100-120 meters, that separates those who can maintain an efficient level of performance. Therefore, I believe that the last stretch of the 400m race is usually the hardest part for runners.

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Vernon Larnard Norwood is an American track and field athlete who specializes in the 400 meters. Raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, he was a multiple time NJCAA national champion for South Plains College and four-time NCAA national champion for LSU Tigers. At the 2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Norwood finished 3rd to secure a spot for the US at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics for the 400 meters and 4x400 relay. At the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships, he won Gold in the 4x400 meters.

Vernon Norwood