Lolo Jones returned to Iowa and thrilled Roosevelt High School students with a surprise visit to her alma mater and signed autographs for hours at Jordan Creek Town Center.
Lolo greets hundreds of fans at Jordan Creek. She was scheduled to sign autographs until 7 p.m., but stayed later because the line was so long.
Earlier on Friday Lolo made a surprise visit to her alma mater and thrilled fans at a Roosevelt pep assembly.
Crossing her fingers, Lolo Jones laughed as she reacted to question from Channel 13 Sports Director Keith Murphy. Jones was interviewed moments before her homecoming celebration held at the amphitheater at Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines on Friday, Oct. 10th.
Lolo Jones smiled as she held out for the crowd to see the medal that was presented to her by Jim Hallihan, executive director of the Iowa Sports Foundation.
Lolo Jones signed a 2008 Beijing Olympics shirt for David Weiss, of Urbandale, at her homecoming celebration held at Jordan Creek Town Center.
Bea Winters, of Adel, held a copy of the Des Moines Register with a photo of Lolo Jones as Winters attended the homecoming celebration.
Lolo Jones acknowledged the applause of the crowd at her homecoming celebration held at the amphitheater at Jordan Creek Town Center.
Jordan Selmer, age 12 of Story City, signed a large card for Lolo Jones at her homecoming celebration.
Lolo Jones addressed the crowd at her homecoming celebration held at the amphitheater at Jordan Creek Town Center.
Lolo Jones smiled as she waved and held out for the crowd to see the medal that was presented to her by Jim Hallihan, executive director of the Iowa Sports Foundation.
Lolo Jones, right, pumped her fist as she was serenaded by Jerry Triplett, of Winterset, who dressed as Uncle Sam sang as song with his own lyrics about Jones.
Lolo Jones, center right, talked with Keith Murphy, Channel 13 Sport Director, at her homecoming celebration held at the amphitheater at Jordan Creek Town Center.
Holding her Iowa Games medals, Morghan Jackson, age 8 from Urbandale, posed with Lolo Jones at Jones' homecoming celebration.
Lolo Jones, right, autographed her poster for Jennifer Stilwell, age 7 of East Des Moines, at Jones' homecoming celebration.
Lolo Jones smiled as she held up letter with art work given to her by Jessica Stilwell, of Urbandale, at Jones' homecoming celebration.
Lolo Jones reacted to the cheers from the crowd at her homecoming celebration held at the amphitheater at Jordan Creek Town Center.
Source: The Des Moines Register
Olympic Hurdler Brushes Off Beijing Disappointment
Olympic track and field star Lolo Jones visited West Des Moines Friday to thank the fans who supported her as she competed in Beijing.
While she didn't return home with the medal she wanted, fans were proud of the grace she showed following her heartbreaking breakdown in the hurdles.
"She never gave up, even when she fell," said fan Mikayle Zmolek.
"Lolo is just a great role model," said fan Herb Ewing. "Not just for children, but parents, too."
Jones told fans that her Olympic disappointment was just another hurdle in her life's storied struggles.
"I've been through struggles before," she said. "There were so many times I did not win." .
Jones said she's been taking time off since her last race in mid-September. She's been speaking to groups, signing autographs and raising money for charity. She's also been helping Iowa flood victims and basking in the support of the fans.
"I don't have a medal, but I feel like I did receive the medal," she said. "It's crazy. I love it!"
Check out the video here.
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Olympic Hurdler Lolo Jones talks about the 2012 Olympics.
We all felt for the Des Moines native when she fell in the 100-meter final, and her dreams of Olympic gold were dashed.
But Lolo has already picked herself up, dusted herself off, and proved that she is still the world's number one hurdler.
Ten days after the fall in the Olympic final, Lolo Jones of Des Moines, dominated the 100-meter hurdles in Zurich Switzerland.
Lolo Jones said, "I won that race, and that's what I needed to win to show people like look, if I wouldn't have hit those hurdles, Lolo would have come back with a medal."
But on August 19th, Lolo did hit the second to last hurdle, in the lead, 20 meters from Olympic Gold, slipping to 7th place.
She says she was just trying to do too much.
Jones: "I was trying to not only win a medal but i was trying to break the Olympic record."
She didn't, but Lolo certainly set a record for post-race grace and class, in the face of devastating defeat.
Jones: "Everyone knows at some point in their life they've had something that they wanted so bad and maybe they haven't gotten it or they had to work harder for it. I think that's why so many people can relate to what I've been through."
Cards, letters, email, text messages of support; Lolo has loved them all.
Jones: "It helped when i needed it the most."
She's back in Des Moines, not training, taking time off. Eating anything she wants.
She just turned 26; young for a hurdler.
Jones: "for me, 28 to 33, that's when I'll be at my prime."
Primed and ready to run in London in 20-12.
"Keep your spirits up for me Iowans because I'll be back."
Watch a video of the interview here.
Source: KCCI
Media Talk in Zürich (in Swiss dialect):