Ato
joins UCLA's team, coached by John Smith, with a 10.07 100m best from
the year prior. American Dennis Mitchell, in John's pro camp at
the time, tells John not to "waste his time" with the young
Trinidadian. Dennis, in less than a year, would be losing to Ato
at the Olympics in Atlanta, and in every major race, EVER.
NCAA
track fans are introduced to Ato when he runs a 10.08 and 20.08
double to win the Pacific-10 Conference championships in
Arizona.
After
winning the NCAA 200m title for UCLA, Ato surpasses the legendary Carl Lewis as
the youngest-ever medallist in a World Championship 100 meter dash,
at 21, taking bronze in 10.03 seconds.
