Originally published Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 12:00 AM

Flashback | Olympic dream could lead Rome from Marysville to Beijing

Jarred Rome, former Marysville-Pilchuck High School athlete, is throwing himself into the pursuit of an Olympic medal in the discus this summer in Beijing after placing 13th four years ago in the Athens Summer Games.

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RUSTY KENNEDY / AP

Jarred Rome winds up to throw the discus on his way to the 2004 Olympic Trials championship in the event.

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Athlete: Jarred Rome, Marysville-Pilchuck, Class of 1995

Sports: Track and field, football, basketball

High-school rewind: Rome won WesCo and district titles in the shot and discus as a junior and senior. As a junior, he placed third in the discus in fifth in the shot at state. He was state runner-up in both as a senior.

In football, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Rome began his career as a quarterback before becoming a lineman and tight end.

After high school: Rome dreamed of going to Washington, but was only offered the chance to walk on to the track and field team.

He accepted a scholarship from Boise State and became an immediate success. In 1997, his sophomore year, he was the NCAA runner-up in the discus. Rome was a six-time college All-American (three years each in the shot and discus).

After getting his MBA from Boise State, Rome moved to Southern California to train full time. He won the discus at the Olympic Trials in 2004 and placed 13th at the Athens Olympics, far below his capabilities because of two ear infections.

"I was sick as a dog," he said. "I was expected to be in the top five. If I threw what I did at the trials, I would've gotten bronze. That was obviously really disappointing."

Rome threw a career-best 224 feet, 3 inches in his specialty last year.

Personal: Rome, 31, lives in Chula Vista, Calif. He is engaged.

Fast forward: Rome has been to the Olympics, been ranked No. 1 in the U.S three times and as high as No. 3 in the world, but never won a state title in high school.

"I was very bitter about not being a state champion," he said. "Not being a state champion has literally made me what I am today."

His bitterness long gone, the 6-4, 300-pound Rome is now focused on the Beijing Olympics in August.

"I'm looking forward to making my second Olympic team and this time bringing home a medal," he said.

Zach Landres-Schnur

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