David Wilson preparing for track and field career
By Cory Buck
Former New York Giants running back David Wilson was denied a career in football after a neck injury forced him out of the game. He’s hardly done with athletics though. Mere weeks after announcing his retirement from the NFL, Wilson announced he will be returning to track and field, to train for the triple jump and hopefully participate in the next Olympics.
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“Unless something drastic happens over the next few weeks, I’m looking forward to getting back on the track,” Wilson said, per ESPN, after having shared his life story at Citi Field, where he took part in the ‘Citi Kids’ program. “One level of competition has been taken away, but I’m not [just] a football player — I’m a competitor. Track and field is something I can do at a high level.”
Wilson plans to return to Virginia Tech, finish his degree, and train with his former track coach with an eye on the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Gold medalist Christian Taylor sent a supportive tweet Wilson’s way after the announcement.
Wilson was asked about his aspirations to join the company of Taylor and other medalists. “I want to compete at the level those guys are competing,” Wilson concluded. “They’re jumping crazy numbers. I think if I focus in and train hard, hopefully I’ll be able to do that.”