Chandler Olympic hopeful raising funds for travel

​Team USA triple jumper Omar “Gideon” Craddock is raising funds to cover travel costs to compete in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track and Field, to be held June 21 to 30 in Eugene, Ore.

If Craddock can qualify for the 2024 Olympics, which start in late July in Paris, fundraising would cover that travel expense as well.

According to USA Track & Field, Craddock has made four World Championships teams. In 2019, Craddock took home a gold medal in the triple jump at the Pan American Games.
Craddock, 33, also placed fourth in the event in the 2015 World Championships.

The former University of Florida athlete said, in a news release, American athletes have a unique challenge.

“Unlike athletes from other countries, Team USA members are not all paid or sponsored,” Craddock said. “We are responsible for covering our own travel, lodging and transportation expenses.”

Craddock is a full-time personal trainer at John Allen’s Personal Training Gym in Chandler.

In his limited time off, he trains intensively for his track and field sport at Chandler High School.

“I love training in Chandler,” Craddock said. “There is a high level talent pool of athletes here.”

A GoFundMe account has been established to help get Craddock to the Olympic trials in Oregon at the end of this month and then, hopefully, to the Paris games.

Craddock’s GoFundMe can be found here .

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