World's Fastest?
Eastern alum Dallas Robinson makes run at 2008 Summer Olympics in 200-meter or relay race
Cameron Blair
Issue date: 2/7/08 Section: Sports
"The gift I was given wasn't the ability to make good money," Robinson said. "Everyday I wake up and I feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing, so it's pretty darn easy."
Due to the odd hours his training required, Robinson was training and running on his own without a sponsor backing him. All of this changed for Dallas about a month ago when Human Performance Consulting, a California-based training company, began to work with him.
The company helps assists him with his training and allows him to get in more track meets, Robinson said.
"Hopefully we can use the momentum we've got going and build upon that," Robinson said.
Soon after he started running for HPC, Robinson caught another break when he appeared on the Spike TV show, Pros vs. Joes. On the show, Robinson wrestled former Olympic gold medalist and WWE star Kurt Angle in a Greco-Roman wrestling match, played H-O-R-S-E with former NBA player Kendall Gill and went one-on-one with former NFL wide receiver Jimmy Smith.
To get on the show, Robinson had to compete against 100 "joes" in Chicago in addition to 400 other possible contestants in four other cities.
"I looked at being on Pros vs. Joes as something that would make a really cool story, and that was about it," Robinson said.
Dallas' performance on the show became much more than a cool story to tell. Companies such as Nike, Adidas and Puma have contacted Dallas after his appearance on the show.
"I didn't realize that at the time the show aired, I would be in the top three in the world in my event. Being on the show really pole vaulted me into a different level of conversation in the track and field world," Robinson said.
Being on the show has also had other benefits.
Robinson signed autographs for two nurses after a trip to a doctor's office to get a referral. In the Powell Building on campus, a man approached Dallas to shake his hand and tell him "it's good to see a TV star around here."
Due to the odd hours his training required, Robinson was training and running on his own without a sponsor backing him. All of this changed for Dallas about a month ago when Human Performance Consulting, a California-based training company, began to work with him.
The company helps assists him with his training and allows him to get in more track meets, Robinson said.
"Hopefully we can use the momentum we've got going and build upon that," Robinson said.
Soon after he started running for HPC, Robinson caught another break when he appeared on the Spike TV show, Pros vs. Joes. On the show, Robinson wrestled former Olympic gold medalist and WWE star Kurt Angle in a Greco-Roman wrestling match, played H-O-R-S-E with former NBA player Kendall Gill and went one-on-one with former NFL wide receiver Jimmy Smith.
To get on the show, Robinson had to compete against 100 "joes" in Chicago in addition to 400 other possible contestants in four other cities.
"I looked at being on Pros vs. Joes as something that would make a really cool story, and that was about it," Robinson said.
Dallas' performance on the show became much more than a cool story to tell. Companies such as Nike, Adidas and Puma have contacted Dallas after his appearance on the show.
"I didn't realize that at the time the show aired, I would be in the top three in the world in my event. Being on the show really pole vaulted me into a different level of conversation in the track and field world," Robinson said.
Being on the show has also had other benefits.
Robinson signed autographs for two nurses after a trip to a doctor's office to get a referral. In the Powell Building on campus, a man approached Dallas to shake his hand and tell him "it's good to see a TV star around here."
