CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (KFVS) – The 2024 Olympic games begin next week in Paris, France, and one Heartland Olympian is prepping for her trip to the Olympic games.
Former SIU Athletic Standout Deanna Price is headed to the Olympics to compete in the hammer throw. Not for the first time but her third.
“For me, the Olympics are something I’ve been dreaming about. I didn’t think it was gonna be a reality,” said Price.
Deanna first gained national attention when she went to the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil and placed 8th. She says she would have never made it to those first games or beyond without the support of SIU.
“There’s nothing more proud that being a Saluki for sure,” said Price. “Being able to get there and be able to support SIU because they supported me and that was probably the best thing in the world. Me as an alumni and still going forward with that because being a Saluki is forever. Once a Saluki, always a Saluki. So this Dawg is now headed to Paris.”
The road to her third outing has not been an easy one. During the last Olympic games in Tokyo, she sustained several injuries to the right side of her body including her ankle.
“My last Olympic journey was a little on the rocks, I guess you could say,” said Price. “I ended up breaking my ankle, tearing three tendons, fracturing the talus, broke off the tip of my fibula and ended up having whole right side reconstructive surgery.”
Deanna says she couldn’t have bounced back from that rough road to recovery without her “people.”
“I’ve had a great support group behind me, my husband and coach, my family, my community, my friends. They would say, ‘No matter what you got this! Let’s go to Paris!’,” said Price.
Before leaving for Paris next week, Price is training that consists of weight-lifting, biking, and 40 throws over two sessions in a single day, but not every day. And a great deal of stretching and massage.
We asked Deanna what the greatest thing was about heading to these Olympic games.
“I’m really happy and proud to be an American. And be able to compete for my country and I’m glad I get to do it again,” said Price. “I didn’t think I was gonna be able to come back from what I’ve been through. I just can’t wait to get in there and leave everything on the line that I have.”
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