It was 20 years ago when a young track star from Wisconsin won gold at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Today, Andrew Rock is still winning championships as the director of track & field and cross country at Bethel University.
"I think it’s a sport you get out of what you put into it," said Rock, who still has Olympic medal and memorabilia, albeit tucked away. "It's a moment I'll never forget."
Rock always loved running and by his junior year at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, he was ranked in the top 10. He specialized in the 400 meter dash and holds many records. In the Olympics, he ran for the American 4 × 400 m relay team in the qualifying heats, securing the team a place in the final. The relay took first in the final, securing Rock the gold medal.
Each teammate runs one lap. Rock completed his in 44 seconds, which is the same as running about 22 miles per hour.
"In my race, it really comes down to a couple one hundredths of a second whether you're going to make it or not, which is just no room for error," said Rock. "I think it's one of the best events in track."
He would go on to run professionally and even sign a contract with Adidas. He's now been the coach at Bethel for 12 years. And only this year - the men's team did something it has never done before.
"It was a really tight race, it came down to the last 20 meters of the race," said Rock.
The men won not only their first national title in May, but in the same event Rock won gold 20 years earlier.
"It was incredible," said Rock. "They love each other, they love working together, they've had a shared commitment to this."
Rock eventually got hurt and didn't make the 2008 Olympic team. But he still runs some 35 miles every week, calling it an "outlet."
He's especially excited to tune into this year's games when track events start on Friday with two Minnesotans to keep an eye on - Matt Wilkinson from Minnetonka High School and Dakotah Lindwurm from St. Francis.