ST. JOHN'S, Fla. – Garrett Scantling probably felt the cheers from St. John’s.
The Episcopal and University of Georgia graduate was on the other side of the world starting his Olympic journey in the decathlon, but the crowd back home was far bigger than where he was at.
A good-sized crowd of family and friends packed the Bono’s restaurant off of Racetrack Road on Tuesday night to watch Scantling make his Olympic debut.
His mother, Robbie, donned one of many visible G Scant T-shirts in the audience. Older brother, Hunter, said he was nervous throughout the day, but not as nervous and excited as his father, Michael.
“It was almost like he came through the television. And everybody felt that the excitement to finally see him finally get started on the dream that he has,” Michael said. “And that is to become a reckoned athlete in this world and he’s doing a good job thus far.”
It’s been a family and community effort for Scantling to get to Tokyo, be it encouragement, support or financial donations to aid in his training. And those friends and family couldn’t wait to watch Scantling walk out of the tunnel for introductions and take to the starting line for his first of the 10 events, the 100-meter dash. It drew the most robust cheer of the night.
Scantling completed his first three of 10 events — the 100, long jump, shot put — in fifth place entering Wednesday.
“He knows were behind him. He knows we’re together right now. This is a big experience for all of the family and friends, the entire village that has come together to help this cause,” Michael said. “Garrett’s a unique young man. He deserves this. We’re all thankful for the opportunity.”
The opportunity took years to achieve.
Scantling missed out on going to the 2016 Olympics by one qualifying spot at the U.S. Trials. He briefly retired from competition and gave the NFL a shot. Then he segued into a working professional and later coaching. But chasing another berth in the Olympics was always in the back of his mind.
So, Scantling went all in on trying to qualify for the Games and did. He won the U.S. Trials in June and qualified for the Olympics.
Qualifying for any Olympics would be worth celebrating, but Scantling’s road to Tokyo was particularly sweet. He went from walking away from the sport to diving in harder than he’d ever worked before.
That’s why Tuesday’s celebration was probably bigger, better and more substantive for everyone in attendance than it would have been in 2016. They all knew what Scantling went through to get there.
“It is the complete package to have all of our friends and family here and everybody supporting him and cheering him on,” Robbie said. “Hopefully he can feel it over there.”
And while fans weren’t permitted to attend the Olympics this year due to the pandemic, Scantling may have had one of the most passionate cheering sections of anyone.
“It’s very disappointing not to be able to be there, but all of our friends and everybody has just been so supportive and they’re making us feel like we’re there,” Robbie said. “We told him that he would feel us cheering here.”
Scantling started off with a seventh-place finish in the 100 (10.67), 14th in the long jump (7.3 meters) and second in the shot put (15.59 meters). Scantling’s second throw in the shot put was nearly 3 meters longer than his first.