COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – High in the foothills of Colorado might be the next great Olympian from the Air Force Academy. His name is Texas! Texas Tanner, but this Texas reigns from Wyoming, and he originally did not want to be a thrower but to compete on the gridiron.
When I first started track, I did it because I wanted to get faster and stronger for football. I never once was like, oh, I’m going to be the next best thrower. I turned out to be pretty good at it and I did not realize I was good at it until my junior year. Growing up I was a big Air Force football guy, I always rooted for Air Force and that’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to follow my dad’s footsteps as a football player here. I wanted to go to the Air Force Academy instead of Navy, so I ended up choosing track over football because I was offered the spot,” said Air Force thrower Texas Tanner.
Tanner used his football abilities to become a great thrower. He is the American Collegiate record holder in Discus, and hammer throw.
“I’m not the biggest person to throw but what I am, is fairly strong for my size and also I move really quick. I want to be the best. I want to be better than everybody else. I am always taking that next step. Always pushing myself forward,” said Tanner.
The 4x All-American now looks to become a national champion.
“Goals for myself, I believe there is a world where I believe there is a world where I can come home with gold medals in two national championships. Anything short of that I believe would be sort of a disappointment because I know where I am at and I know how good I am,” Tanner said.
“I think it’s huge for our program as well. I am just showing that you can be from a service academy and go and compete with the biggest and best schools in the country,” said Tanner’s coach Kyle Lillie.
Tanner’s ultimate goal is to compete in the Olympics.
“For the next two years, I will be doing nothing but training and making the Olympics,” said Tanner.
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