Olympic Gold medalist and Georgetown native Anthuan Maybank is looking forward to returning to his old stomping grounds this weekend. He’s excited about seeing how his hometown has changed in the years since he was here last and catching up with some old school friends.
But most of all, he’s excited about meeting the boys and girls running track this season at the facility soon to bear his name.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what the kids are like and what their aspirations and goals are,” Maybank said recently from his home in Delaware. “From academics to athletics, I want to know what they want to do and let them know that nothing is impossible with hard work and discipline and follow-through.”
He’ll tell his story to youth and adults across Georgetown County during his visit this weekend. Maybank will be the guest of honor on Saturday, April 23, which has been declared Anthuan Maybank Day in Georgetown County. The festivities will start with a dedication ceremony at 10 a.m. at Beck Recreation Center, where the new track field is being named in Maybank’s honor. A series of family-friendly activities, including youth track meets, is being scheduled at the facility throughout the day. Free food will also be available from Caribbean Jerk Cuisine food truck, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Tidelands Health. The entire community is encouraged to attend.
The day prior, Maybank will address youth, teens and families during a free program at Howard Auditorium. The program starts at 11 a.m. and Maybank will discuss smart choices, discipline, goals and the path to success. There will also be opportunities for attendees to take photos with Maybank.
He said he thinks it’s important for kids to realize he started out in circumstances much the same as many of them – a boy in a small town growing up in a single-parent household. These days, he owns his own business, Champion BODY (which stands for Building Outgoing Dynamic Youthfulness). He works largely with college and professional athletes to help them achieve their goals. But he also devotes a lot of time working as a youth mentor.
Working with children, he said, is one of the most important and enjoyable things he gets to do.
“I love working with kids, because kids, they are extremely attentive. They sit there, they wait and they ask a lot of questions,” Maybank said. “As we get older, we feel like we can’t ask questions. But the kids, they ask the most pertinent questions that you don’t expect, and you really have to think of a response to give them. You can’t just say something, it has to make an impact, because they’re going to use that information later on themselves.”
A product of Georgetown County public schools, Maybank’s dedication to track and field elevated him to the world stage in 1995, when he won gold at the World University Games in the 200 meter dash and the 4x400 meter relay. A year later, he took home gold again at the 1996 Olympic Games in the 4x400 meter relay. He transitioned from professional sports to a career in public relations in Paris, yet still maintained ties to the Georgetown community.
When he returned to the U.S. in 2007, he continued a fast-paced multi-tasking career, while still consulting for the City of Georgetown to improve community health.
“One of the most important things for me right now is being able to talk to people – particularly young people – about my experiences from where I started to where I am and the choices that went into it,” Maybank said. “I want to share my experiences and help people make better choices.”
And Maybank said he is truly looking forward to being able to bring this work that he loves back to the community where it all started for him.