Gold medalist sprinter Tyree Washington to hold speed clinic

Local athletes will have the opportunity to attend a speed, conditioning and agility clinic Jan. 26 at Brawley Union High. It will be open to male and female participants of any sport who wish to not only improve upon their running mechanics and physical fitness, but also get on the inside track of collegiate recruiting.

Featured at the event will be Tyree Washington, who knows a thing or two about speed. A retired sprinter hailing from Murrieta, he won the gold medal in the 400-meter sprint at the 2003 World Championships in Saint-Denis, France, and at the 2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, England, in which he also competed and won gold as a member of the 4x400-meter relay team. His last major win was at the 2006 indoor championships in Moscow.

Washington’s glittering past is not without its blemishes, however, though they are not of his own making.

In 2003, Washington originally took first place in the 4x400, along with teammates Jerome Young, Calvin Harrison and Derrick Brew. Unfortunately, Young was found guilty of a doping violation in June of that year and the quartet was subsequently stripped of their gold medals.

“When I first heard about it,” said Washington, via telephone, “I was devastated. Who wouldn’t be? I really believe that when you’re part of a team, when one falls, you all fall.”

Washington has since become something of an anti-steroid crusader, touring the country and educating student-athletes about the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs.

“I wanted to turn something bad into something good,” explained Washington, who dubbed his nonprofit organization Killaroid. “We encourage kids to train clean, the hard-knock way. There are no shortcuts. It’s all about maintaining integrity.

“When a professional athlete gets in trouble for using steroids,” he elaborated, “you hear about fines and suspensions, but this stuff also kills — cardiac arrest, whatever. Look, people are never going to stop taking drugs, but I care a great deal about these kids and want to save as many as I can.”

Working in conjunction with Killaroid is Calipatria High head football coach David Shaw, who first met Washington earlier this year at a clinic hosted by NFL quarterback Philip Rivers and running back Reggie Bush.

After talking with Shaw, Washington says he was motivated to visit the Imperial Valley because of its “seclusion,” because of the fact that “a lot of trainers don’t come down here.”

Those who wish to register should contact Shaw at coachdshaw@hotmail.com

The price is $25 per participant, for which they will receive four hours’ worth of beneficial drills, a commemorative headband and a forum to receive advice about the National Collegiate Athletic Association, recruitment tactics, weight training and, of course, the evils of performance-enhancing drugs.

Washington hopes to attract a large group of kids from diverse backgrounds, but especially those who might not otherwise have the means or the opportunity to attend such a clinic.

“I’ve been very blessed in my career,” he said, “and I just want to give back.”