ATLANTA -- February 17, 2021 -- Fans and a future fans of Atlanta Track Club Elite will have new, up close and interactive ways to follow the Olympic journeys of their hometown track and field athletes. Atlanta Track Club launched a new website for its Olympic Development athletes on Wednesday. Visitors to atlantatrackclubelite.org can find the latest team news, bios, a video library, historic results and a look at upcoming competitions.
Included on the website is the launch of the Hometown Hopeful series which will be a firsthand account of what it is like to train for the Olympic Trials written by four of the team's middle distance stars as well as an Olympic triple jumper and Paralympic sprinter.
"We want fans of track and field to have ways to connect with the athletes and training groups they follow and cheer for," said Amy Begley, 2008 Olympian and Atlanta Track Club Elite coach. "This website will be our digital home, expanding on the inside look at our training that we have been providing via social media for many years now.
Middle distance runner Brandon Lasater built and designed the site. Lasater, the runner-up at the 2019 U.S. Road Mile Championship, is a graduate of Georgia Tech and recently finished a commitment in the military where he focused on website design. "Yolanda (Ngarambe) and I had talked a few years ago about making an elite site to showcase the team and it is pretty rewarding that it's finally coming to fruition, said Lasater. "I'm excited to have a hub for all of the news and media related to the team. As with most web development projects, I feel like I've learned a lot too, which is always nice."
The Hometown Hopefuls series will follow Abe Alvarado, Lasater, Ngarambe, Keturah Orji, Jarryd Wallace and Allie Wilson. Ngarambe is a favorite to represent her home country of Sweden in the 1500 in Tokyo. Orji looks to make a second straight Team USA after finishing fourth in the triple jump at the 2016 Rio Games. Wallace hopes to make his third consecutive Paralympics and bring home his first medal. Alvarado and Lasater have both reached the podium of U.S Championship races multiple times. Wilson is a former NCAA Championship runner-up. Throughout the next four months, they will detail their workouts, diets, sleep and life routines with their coaches weighing in on their progress. New installments will be posted every Tuesday.