Page 94 - My FlipBook 1

FULL SPEED AHEAD retired, he’s the best-known sprinter in the world. CREDITS
(continued from page 75) By next summer, four years will have passed since STORE INFORMATION
he was booed in London. Yet he is still here, still For the items featured in Esquire, please consult the website or
a finish too close to call with the naked eye. It took competing, still striving for one more Olympic call the phone number provided.
almost as long to announce the decision as it had medal. Whatever he might have done in the past,
The Short Stories, p. 11: Giuseppe Zanotti espadrilles,
to run the race. The results were posted. Gatlin it’s hard not to root for someone who, if he quali-
giuseppezanotti.com. P. 14: Mark Cross bag, markcross
had won. fies, will be stepping into the starting blocks against
.com. P. 15: Coach bag, coach.com. Filson bag, filson
Bolt embraced Gatlin and congratulated him. Gat- competitors who are younger by a decade or more.
.com. Onia bag and towel, onia.com. Celine by Hedi
lin could barely hear him, the booing was so loud. The pandemic has lengthened the odds against
Slimane bag, celine.com. Altea sweater, mrporter
Gatlin. His season had been choreographed for
.com. P. 18: Aimé Leon Dore sweatshirt and shorts,
A F T E R D I N N E R , I N T H E PA R K I N G L O T maximum efficiency, so that he’d be in peak con-
aimeleondore.com. P. 19: Tombolo shirt and shorts,
outside the restaurant, Gatlin’s wife, Jeneice, told dition from the U. S. track and field trials, in June,
tombolocompany.com. Todd Snyder shirt and shorts,
me about the time they brought their puppy to through the 100-meter final in Tokyo, in early
toddsnyder.com. 18 East shirt, shorts, and hat, 18east
obedience training. At one point, she looked August. Then in March, the Olympics were post-
around the class and realized that all of the own- poned and the spring season was canceled. “We .co. Artemis Design Co. loafers, artemisdesignco.com.
ers were standing beside their dogs except for the were about to get on a plane,” Gatlin said, “and Loro Piana polo, loropiana.com. P. 21: Cartier watch,
two seated on folding chairs. The first was an then everything fell apart within a week.” cartier.com. P. 24: Saman Amel jacket, knit polo, and
elderly woman. “She must have been in her eight- He knew that his parents, who are in their sev- trousers, mrporter.com.
ies,” Jeneice said. The other was her husband. enties, would have come to watch him, whatever Escapology, p. 66: Etro suit, jacket, shirts, trousers,
As she told the story, Gatlin leaned against their the circumstances. When he heard of the post- sandals, belt, and neckties, etro.com. P. 67: Hermès
car. When Jeneice called attention to it, he nodded. ponement, Gatlin felt relieved. “I couldn’t imag- jacket, tank, trousers, and sandals, hermes.com. Saint
“I always need to find somewhere to sit, or some- ine being there, running, knowing that they and Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello shirt, ysl.com. Fendi
thing to lean on,” he explained. “I think it’s because everyone else were putting themselves at risk,” he bag, fendi.com. P. 68: Giorgio Armani jacket, trousers,
I’m so in tune with my body.” Jeneice rolled her eyes. said. But the rescheduling created new questions. sneakers, and sunglasses, armani.com. Santoni sneak-
In the past few years, Gatlin has become con- “In 2020, we’re not going to have races now,” he ers, santonishoes.com. P. 69: Celine by Hedi Slimane
sumed with doing nothing. After training at Mont- said. Could he be prepared next summer? Would hat, celine.com. Brioni jacket, pajama set, T-shirt, and
verde, he’ll usually eat lunch, nap, then watch he remain healthy? Would he be too old? pocket square, brioni.com. Dolce & Gabbana slides,
television. Some days, he’ll watch television, then He turns thirty-nine in February. “But I’ll still dolcegabbana.com. Amiri bag, amiri.com. P. 70: Saint
nap. “Outside of running, he’s pretty much on feel like I’m thirty-eight,” he said, sounding confi- Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello sweatshirt, ysl.com.
power-saving mode,” Jeneice said. “Like the phone.” dent, at least for now. “Or maybe like I’m thirty- Dolce & Gabbana jacket, sweater, trousers, and ker-
Partly, that’s just who he is. As a child, he was seven, with all the rest I’m getting.” chief, dolcegabbana.com. P. 71: Prada jacket, shirt,
never in a rush. When he told his mother he wanted trousers, bag, kerchief, sandals, and socks, prada.com.
to be a sprinter, she dismissed him with a laugh. T H E M O R N I N G A F T E R O U R D I N N E R , Dolce & Gabbana sneakers, dolcegabbana.com.
These days, minimizing motion is a strategy. A sed- Gatlin headed to Montverde under a sky of unbro- A Still Life, p. 76: Fendi Men’s jacket, fendi.com.
entary lifestyle reduces the chance of injury; one ken gray. The temperature had dropped twenty P. 77: Dior Men hat, 800-929-3467. P. 78: Salvatore
tweaked muscle can impede a thirty-eight-year- degrees from the day before. Rain was forecast. Ferragamo bag, ferragamo.com. P. 79: Canali sneak-
old’s mobility for months. Inactivity might also He was moving even slower than usual. On days ers, canali.com. P. 80: Louis Vuitton Men’s back-
prolong his career. Thomas Haugen, of Oslo’s Kris- like this, he said, his teammates helped motivate pack, louisvuitton.com. P. 81: Celine by Hedi Slimane
tiana University College, who studies the relation- him to keep going. When he first started practic- sunglasses, celine.com.
ship between age and athletic performance, ing there, “they treated me special,” he said. “Like
believes that the less energy Gatlin expends off the ‘Justin Gatlin.’ But now I’m just Justin.”
(ISSN 0194-9535) is published six times a year (with
track, the more he’ll have to devote to sprinting. Mitchell gathered the sprinters. That morning,
combined issues in April/May, Summer, October/November, and Winter, and
“Look at cheetahs,” Haugen says. “They hunt. They he told them, they’d run three 60-meter dashes, when future combined issues are published that count as two issues, as indi-
cated on the issue’s cover), by Hearst, 300 West 57th St., NY, NY 10019 USA.
eat. Otherwise, they rest. That’s how the sprinter followed by three 100-meter dashes. It was a heavy Steven R. Swartz, President and Chief Executive Officer; William R. Hearst III,
should live.” Especially older sprinters. At Gatlin’s load, designed to build strength and stamina. One Chairman; Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice-Chairman. Hearst Magazine
Media, Inc.: Troy Young, President; Debi Chirichella, Executive Vice President,
age, “you work out or you’re on the couch.” by one, the runners flew down the track. As Gat- Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer; John A. Rohan, Jr., Senior Vice Presi-
The four years Gatlin spent not competing lin ran his third 60, Mitchell shouted, “Rhythm! dent, Finance; Catherine A. Bostron, Secretary. © 2020 by Hearst Magazine
Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Esquire, Man at His Best, Dubious Achieve-
spared him the pulls and strains that start to accu- Rhythm! Rhythm! Rhythm! Rhythm!” Gatlin shuf- ment Awards, The Sound and the Fury, and are registered trademarks of
Hearst Communications, Inc. Periodicals postage paid at N.Y., N.Y., and addi-
mulate in athletes as they approach thirty—and fled back to the starting line to prepare for his hun-
tional entry post offices. Canada Post International Publications mail product
often cause complications when their bodies dreds. He took his time. Then he took off again, (Canadian distribution) sales agreement no. 40012499. Editorial and Adver-
tising Offices: 300 West 57th St., NY, NY 10019-3797. Send returns (Canada)
attempt to compensate. “That time not running arms pumping. Mitchell encouraged him: “Get to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, Ontario N6C 6B2. Sub-
helped him,” says Ato Boldon, a former Olympic those hips up!” He yelled out Gatlin’s time: 10.5 scription prices: United States and possessions, $7.97 a year; Canada and all
other countries, $19.97 a year. Subscription services: Esquire will, upon re-
sprinter and four-time medalist from Trinidad who seconds. Gatlin didn’t react. He stood at the far ceipt of a complete subscription order, undertake fulfillment of that order so
now commentates for NBC. “It can’t be overstated. end of the track, hunched over, hands on his thighs. as to provide the first copy for delivery by the Postal Service or alternate carrier
within four to six weeks. From time to time, we make our subscriber list avail-
During those four years, Gatlin’s odometer barely Sha’Carri Richardson ran next. She stepped to able to companies that sell goods and services by mail that we believe would
interest our readers. If you would rather not receive such mailings via postal
moved.” If he hadn’t been forced to stop, Boldon the line, ran the 100, and turned to walk back in
mail, please send your current mailing label or an exact copy to Mail Prefer-
is certain, Gatlin would be retired by now. When an unused lane. Gatlin still hadn’t moved. As she ence Service, P.O. Box 6000, Harlan, IA 51593. You can also visit preferences
.hearstmags.com to manage your preferences and opt out of receiving
I asked Gatlin, he acknowledged that Boldon was passed him, she extended her arm to give him a marketing offers by e-mail. For customer service, changes of address, and
probably right. “I’d be too beat up,” he said. playful slap, then decided against it. subscription orders, log on to service.mag.com or write to Customer Service
Department, Esquire, P.O. Box 6000, Harlan, IA 51593. Esquire is not respon-
Coleman, the top-ranked 100-meter sprinter, She bounced away. He raised his head to watch. sible for unsolicited manuscripts or art. None will be returned unless accom-
will surely be favored to win in Tokyo. But Gatlin Then he followed, one deliberate step at a time, so panied by return postage and envelope. Canada BN NBR 10231 0943 RT.
Postmaster: Please send address changes to Esquire, P.O. Box 6000, Harlan,
may emerge as the sentimental favorite. With Bolt he could get to where he’d started and run again. IA 51593. Printed in the USA.
94 SUMMER 2020