Manitou Springs sprinter Jayden Omi overcomes torn ACL to win 100 and 200
LAKEWOOD — The Monday following the final Manitou Springs football game of the year, Jayden Omi was hobbling around Richardson Field on crutches.
“Ask me about the stupid knee injury I suffered on the last game of the season,” he said with a bit of a laugh.
It wasn’t a funny injury. It was a torn ACL. He had to wait more than two months to have surgery to repair it, but the entire time he had his mind set on returning.
His return was made complete on the final day of the state track meet where Omi claimed gold in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.97 seconds.
“I had a long season and wasn’t expecting to get here,” Omi said. “After working with my doc, my (physical therapist) and my coaches I was able to make it to state. I got in those blocks today and I knew I was going to win.”
Omi later won the 200 to add to his trophy collection, making his weekend at track one of the most remarkable comeback stories in recent memory.
“I always thought if he raced this year state would be a long shot,” Manitou boys coach Stryker Lane said. “I didn’t know a lot about what the recovery times would be, but if he came back I didn’t think he’d be in the form that he was last year.”
Omi finished fourth in the 100 last year. He wasn’t in 2018 form; he was better. Omi is also the lone athlete for the Mustangs competing at the state was determined to make sure he and his school didn’t come away empty-handed.
