Doc Patton retires after 13 years of sprinting
Doc Patton retires after 13 years of sprinting
After 13 years of sprinting on the track, Darvis "Doc" Patton has announced his retirement from track and field.
"After 13 years, on the track, I’m taking my spikes off. It’s time to shut it down. I can’t say that my last year on the circuit played out the way I wanted it to, but I am proud of my journey," Patton wrote on his website. "My career has given me the opportunity to see the world, meet some cool folks and do what I love in the process."
Patton showed promise this year at the 2013 Texas Relays by opening his season running 9.75 for 100-meters with a 4.3 wind reading. Patton ran at the 2013 Penn Relays, where the third and fourth turn at Franklin Field were named Patton's Corner.
Patton won two Olympic silver medals as a member of the United States' 4x100-meter relay team at the 2004 and 2012 Summer Games. He also has two 4x100-meter relay gold medals to his name from the 2003 and 2007 IAAF World Championships. His lone individual medal comes from his second place finish at the 200-meter final in Paris for the 2003 IAAF World Championships.
The two-time U.S. National Champion turns 36 on Dec. 4.
"Thanks for your faith in me. Thanks for your support and encouragement. Thanks for helping push me toward my dream," Patton wrote. "I’m grateful for it all – the sport, the fans, the experience. I’ll forever be an athlete. I’ll always rep Team USA, and I’ll never be too far from the track. Believe that.
"After 13 years, on the track, I’m taking my spikes off. It’s time to shut it down. I can’t say that my last year on the circuit played out the way I wanted it to, but I am proud of my journey," Patton wrote on his website. "My career has given me the opportunity to see the world, meet some cool folks and do what I love in the process."
Patton showed promise this year at the 2013 Texas Relays by opening his season running 9.75 for 100-meters with a 4.3 wind reading. Patton ran at the 2013 Penn Relays, where the third and fourth turn at Franklin Field were named Patton's Corner.
Patton won two Olympic silver medals as a member of the United States' 4x100-meter relay team at the 2004 and 2012 Summer Games. He also has two 4x100-meter relay gold medals to his name from the 2003 and 2007 IAAF World Championships. His lone individual medal comes from his second place finish at the 200-meter final in Paris for the 2003 IAAF World Championships.
The two-time U.S. National Champion turns 36 on Dec. 4.
"Thanks for your faith in me. Thanks for your support and encouragement. Thanks for helping push me toward my dream," Patton wrote. "I’m grateful for it all – the sport, the fans, the experience. I’ll forever be an athlete. I’ll always rep Team USA, and I’ll never be too far from the track. Believe that.