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High jump legend Charles Austin on Olympics, the record he set in 1996
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SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — When Charles Austin walks into his gym, he can see a piece of equipment that changed his life 28 years ago.
The high jump bar from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics sits below a collage of pictures showing Austin clearing the bar and the ensuing celebration. That jump of 7 feet, 10 inches earned Austin a gold medal and an Olympic record that stands today.
"The funny thing [is] it doesn't really look high to me," said Austin about the bar with a smile. "Sometimes I come in here feeling and think I could still jump that. Wishful thinking."
He's a Texas State grad (it was Southwest Texas when he finished in 1991) and was a late bloomer. He didn't try high jumping until he was a senior in high school, and by the end of his senior year, he could almost clear the 7-foot mark. He was a natural.
He earned a track scholarship with the Bobcats, and after some tough seasons, he finally broke through in the NCAA ranks. He won the 1990 NCAA outdoor high jump title and set an American record with a leap of 7 feet, 10 1/2 inches in 1991. That record also stands today. Cuba's Javier Sotomayor holds the world record at 8 feet, 1/4 inch.
With the Olympics coming up, Austin's face lights up about this year's event. He says a number of events and athletes in particular get him excited for what should be a "hot Olympics."
"[There] is not a bigger competition on the planet," said Austin. "This is when all the eyes are on you. And that's what I liked about it. The spotlight is there. It's the heat of the moment."
Austin's first client in personal training was NBA legend John Starks. He's trained several big-name athletes and created the Total Body Board.
"I never saw myself coaching. Once I started really getting into it, I felt more accomplished...What I did with my career, I expected that," he said. "There was no surprise. But working with younger athletes and they go on to get their tuition paid for, go to college and compete, that's huge man. That's lots of fun."