WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Williamsburg native Gunner Hammett may seem like a normal 11-year-old kid, but he’s got some big aspirations.
“I like playing my Play Station 5 and I like playing Madden,” he said. "I think I want to go to the Olympics.”
But what separates him from most 11-year-olds is the trajectory he’s on to actually get there.
“I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing, keep running my races and getting that gold around my neck.”
And gold medals are somewhat of the norm for Gunner who’s already broken four indoor track and field world records including a recent time of 2.02 in the 800-meter event at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston.
“We have the mentality that you win the medals in practice, and you pick them up at the track meets,” said his father, Clinton.
Gunner is the only athlete at those practices, racing unattached with his dad who is also his coach.
“When you’re by yourself it’s easier to focus,” Gunner explained. “It’s calmer and you can just focus on you.”
“Before each race I tell him I love him. We have our own father-son handshake, and then I tell him good luck,” Clinton said. He remembers knowing when Gunner was 9 that his speed was exceptional.
“Before it was more of a social club and an opportunity for him to fool around with other kids and be just a young kid and then it was like, ‘well wait a minute there’s something a little bit more here. It seems like there is some God-given talent and ability.’”
Clinton has soaked in the opportunity to see his son’s hard work come to fruition.
“For me to be able to have the luxury of working with him is a joy. To see this journey, his growth, and his development, makes me so fulfilled and it’s a dad’s dream watching everything come to the surface. I’m loving it and I’m loving our relationship.”
And although Gunner is far beyond his years, Clinton is focused on making sure he doesn’t grow up too fast.
“He’s 11 and he still has a life ahead of him. We don’t want him to get so caught that he’s thinking about being 17 and not enjoying being 11.”
Plus, he needs a Madden opponent.
“I enjoy Madden too and we play games together.”