79R4149 JHS-D By: Martinez Fischer H.R. No. 260R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, When Darold Williamson of San Antonio captured the gold medal as the anchor of the men's 1,600-meter relay team in Athens, he simultaneously captured the hearts of his fellow San Antonians, and this Olympic hero is most deserving of special recognition; and WHEREAS, Mr. Williamson and teammates Otis Harris, Derrick Brew, and Jeremy Wariner continued America's recent dominance of the 1,600-meter relay event, winning with a time of 2 minutes, 55.91 seconds--nearly 5 seconds ahead of second-place Australia and just tenths of a second off the Olympic record; and WHEREAS, A two-time Big 12 Conference champion in the 400 meters, Mr. Williamson joined the Baylor University track team after a stellar career at Holmes High School; in 2002, he established himself as a star by winning the world junior 400-meter championship and U.S. junior 400-meter championship; and WHEREAS, Mr. Williamson's fourth-place finish in the 400 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials earned him a place in the 1,600-meter relay pool, and his strong showing in the event's semifinal earned him the opportunity to anchor the American team in the main event and demonstrate his impressive speed and athleticism on sport's grandest stage; and WHEREAS, The first San Antonian to win Olympic gold in track and field, Mr. Williamson has inscribed his name in the annals of sports history, and his contributions to the U.S. Olympic team have earned him the admiration not only of the citizens of Texas but also of countless citizens throughout America; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas Legislature hereby congratulate Darold Williamson for winning gold at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and extend to him best wishes for continued success in all his endeavors; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. Williamson as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.