Ryan Talbot's Team USA Dreams were Interrupted. So he Seized his Next Opportunity and Grabbed a Medal on the Way.

Michigan State graduate student decathlete Ryan Talbot remembers the first time he was ready to be part of Team USA. He was picked to represent the United States in the Thorpe Cup in Dallas in July of 2022.

But things did not turn out as planned for Talbot. He suffered an unitmely minor ankle injury.

"I had all this gear just sitting in my room," said Talbot. "I couldn't wear it because I knew I had never represented the country. But I had all the gear. Just sitting there."

But Talbot was going to get a second chance to be on Team USA. The 6-foot-6, 215-pound graduate student from Alto, Mich. has a bronze medal and team USA memories to last a lifetime after he was invited to compete with the U.S. team in the 2023 Pan-American games.

He finished third at the Pan-Am games in Santiago, Chile last October. Talbot knew he deserved to be at the Pan-Ams. But he did not expect to finish as high as he did.

"It's always been a huge dream of mine," said Talbot. "Such an honor to be able to represent your country like that on the world stage. It was a huge goal for me throughout my track career to be able to wear the Team USA jersey. I didn't even think I was going to finish top three on the podium."

A big time performance in Chile 💪#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/CAobIVTgF5
— MSU Track & Field/XC (@MSU_TFXC) November 1, 2023

Talbot scored 7,742 points at the Pan-Ams to finish third – just six points behind the silver medalist. But that is not the best score Talbot has ever posted at a decathlon. At the 2022 Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Talbot won by scoring 8,064 – a personal best that still stands.

Although Talbot was not sure he was going to make the podium, he maintained a calm mindset on one of the biggest stages.

"It all stems from the childish need inside everyone," said Talbot. "Being able to go and play and have fun and enjoy life. The reason you do everything almost is because you're trying to find some enjoyment, right? I don't want to turn my career into something where I hate every time I compete because I'm upset about my performance or I'm putting pressure on myself where I feel fear and stress and anxiety."

Talbot was the only athlete from Michigan State to attend the 2023 Pan-Am Games. This was a new experience for Talbot, as he'd never competed outside of the United States.

"The majority of people living in the Pan-Americas speak Spanish, so it was really fun to try and speak Spanish with them," said Talbot. "It was super enjoyable to just be in a culture that you're not used to. When you have 10 events and you're running around the whole day, there's a lot of information you need to know. It kind of put me in that 'have fun' mindset because if I was super stressed out about it – trying to figure out what they were saying – I wouldn't be focused on doing my best."

Talbot also credits the athletes living in the village in Santiago for helping him relax.

None of what Talbot has achieved has come without training rigorously. After years of practice, lifting, and running, Talbot still finds it can be a challenge to train.

"It's hard to train," said Talbot. "You always feel like you're missing something because it's 10 events. You try to train as many events as you can. When lifting, you can focus on speed and power. When you're on the track, sprinting, that's going to go to every event. Stretching, rehab, morning, and night. It takes up a lot of time but it's so worth it."

Talbot wants to continue to grow and stay motivated after his college career. He plans to continue traveling and training with different professionals while still growing as a person.

"That's the goal," said Talbot. "I've learned that it's not so much about 'you've got to go to these competitions because you're the best athlete.' For me, I want to go to these competitions because they're the most fun."

Ryan Talbot's Team USA Dreams were Interrupted. So he Seized his Next Opportunity and Grabbed a Medal on the Way.

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Ryan Talbot

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