Thursday, March 25, 2010

Willo

Every now and then I hear a piece of bad news in the realm of the sport I love. A few days ago it was news of the tragic passing of James Williamson, A 26 year old professional mountain biker who lived every moment he was here to the fullest.

My memory of 'Willo' is vivid. I raced in the 2008 Solo 24 Hour World Championships in Canada, hoping to win the gold and finally snag that title. However, in the end a young man I've never heard of overcame some dark moments in his own bid to win - and well, he did it. Truly, my main memory is that he and his crew were all smiles and friendly from the start. After learning more about James, I came to find out that he was very involved in the Australian mountain bike community and has left a lasting impression.

None of us like to hear this. Us as athletes, friends, families and so on. I can tell everyone this - He did what he loved to do. I respect that.

My thoughts go out to his family and friends.

1 comment:

Mom said...

So sad and hard to comprehend. He was a true champion with his smile and personality to match! I'm glad I got a chance to see him in Canada at the World Championship in 2008.