Photo by Jennie Broxton

Cross Country Assistant Coach Sam Vazquez, who joined IIT last year, will represent his ancestral homeland of Puerto Rico in the 1500 meter event at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.  A 2011 graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Vazquez is the 2011 NAIA Indoor 1000 meter champion and is also a seven-time NAIA All-American in Cross Country and Track and Field combined. He also competed at the NCAA Division I level at the University of Arkansas receiving All-American status his freshmen year and also participated at the 2004 NCAA National Championships and helped the Razorbacks win the national title.

The Chicago Tribune chronicles how Vazquez rose, fell, and rose again in the world of competitive track to qualify for the most prestigious athletic event in the world.

Round 1 of the 1500m event will take place on Friday, August 3.