published Sunday, Aug. 4,1996

Richard Johnson, left, Rod White and Justin Huish react after the American team won the gold medal for men's team archery at the Stone Mountain Archery Center Friday Aug. 2, 1996. The American team defeated the South Korean team in the gold medal match at the Centennial Olympic games. (AP/Michael S. Green)

EYE ON YOU

`Rod White proves to be as good as gold`

By Jeff Greenburg
Assistant Herald Sports Editor

IT HAS BEEN a long, winding road to capturing Olympic gold for Hermitage archer Rod White.

That journey began nearly a decade ago with a miniature bow in his Easton Road backyard, continued on to Gold-N-Grain Archery in Jefferson Township and has since talent he 19-year-old to all corners of the world.

While White's archery career certainly stretches back years before my writing career, his breakthrough on the national level coincided almost to the month with my start here at The Herald.

Four years ago, one of my first features was on a fuzzy-faced youngster with eagle eyes, nerves of steel and the steady hand of the legendary hero Robin Hood. That boy, Rod, had a dream even then -- to reach the Olympics

How many of us are fortunate enough to achieve what we dream for?

White's success story has been especially rewarding for me and the entire Herald sports staff. It should be equally satisfying for the entire community and county, for today they can boast of the first local goal medalist (actually the first medalist of any kind) in the 100-year history of the Modern Olympiad.

So sit back and enjoy The Herald's pictorial tribute to Rod White, a 1996 Olympic gold medalist in team archery, also an American archery first.

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Updated Aug. 12, 1996