Olympian Profile: Leo Manzano

What’s your greatest achievement on the field?

Winning the silver medal for the U.S. I became the first American in 44 years to bring back an Olympic medal for the U.S.

How many hours each week are you running or training for running?

It’s a lifestyle. Everything I do revolves around running. If I were to put a number on actual numbers training, it would probably be somewhere between 22 and 27 hours a week.

How do you feel going into the 2016 Games in comparison to 2008 and 2012?

I feel great. It definitely feels like each time I go back it becomes more special. I’ve seen a lot of athletes come and go within the last couple of years, and I’m just so grateful to be in the sport. Each time that I get to go back to an Olympics or a world championship, it becomes more special each time.

What do you want your legacy to be?

What kind of athlete do you want to be remembered as? I hope people remember me as someone who inspires and motivates—whether it’s kids or people of all ages or different backgrounds. I’ve always been the underdog in my career but I’ve always been able to somehow make it to the top in various competitions. I hope people get inspired on or off the track to reach for the stars and follow their dreams if they’ve ever seen me race or they’ve heard my story. 

What comes after 2016?

I love what I’m doing. I really enjoy running and competing, and motivating people to do their best. I know I won’t be able to run forever, but I’d love to keep running for as long as I can. I can’t tell you for sure if that’ll be two, three, four, five, or even six more years—or maybe if there’s another Olympics in the mix—but I’d like to continue for as long as I can.