Tianna Madison grateful to be inducted into Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame

CLEVELAND — Three-time Olympic gold medalist Tianna Madison was humbled Tuesday as she was honored as one of five inductees in the 49th class for the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame. The event was held at the newly opened GCSHOF and Museum at the Urban Community School Roundstone Athletic Center on Cleveland's West Side. "It means the world to me," said Madison, a 2003 graduate of Elyria High. "It's important to know that you matter, especially at home. And even though this career took me around the world, I haven't been back home in quite some time." Madison won an Olympic gold medal twice as the leadoff leg of the U.S. women's 4x100 relay, first at the 2012 London Games in a world-record time of 40.82 seconds, then again at the 2016 Rio Games in 41.01. Her other Olympic gold came in the long jump in Rio with a mark of 7.17 meters (23 feet, 6.28 inches). She also took fourth in the 100 meters (10.85) in London. "I'm very proud of where I came from and how the journey started," said Madison. "To have that acknowledged and celebrated is very special to me." Madison also won a long jump gold at the 2005 world championships in Helsinki and again in 2015 in Beijing. She won several other indoor and outdoor medals at events all over the world, and earned a bronze medal in World Cup competition as a member of the 2012 U.S. women's bobsled team. The journey was anything but easy and straightforward. She came up short in her first two Olympic Trials in 2004 and 2008. With the exception of her gold medal for long jump at the 2006 worlds, Madison endured a frustrating stretch of seven years from 2006-12 where she enjoyed little success. "The one thing I did well is that I did not quit or give up on myself," she said. "So even in the seasons where it was terrible and the smart thing could have been to walk away, there was still something in me that wanted to see what I could do. I just kind of hung in there. "I wasn't even outjumping the high school version of myself. It was terrible, but because I had those early medals I kept getting invitations to those competitions. I was still making just enough for it not to make sense to quit entirely. It was discouraging and embarrassing at times but I was still getting something out of it." Madison was a nine-time Division I state champion for the Pioneers, leading Elyria to Lorain County's first girls state track and field championship in 2003. Madison was a three-time champ in long jump and twice won titles for the 100 meters, 200 meters and as a member of the 4x100. She was just the third Ohio high school athlete after East Tech's Jesse Owens (1932-33) and Rosecrans' Susan Nash (1983-84) to win four state titles in consecutive seasons as a junior and a senior. She gave the Olympics one more shot for the 2020 Tokyo Games, which got bumped to the 2021 season because of the pandemic. Making her fifth appearance in the Olympic Trials, Madison advanced to the semis in the 100 meters before being eliminated. Likewise, she competed but didn't qualify or advance in long jump. Madison has a son, Kai, and is an assistant track coach for San Jose State. She is also close to completing her master's degree in community development from Cal State Northridge. Besides continuing to give back to the sport of track and field, Madison said her career plans include using her master's to develop social entrepreneurship ventures to revitalize areas in need. "Kai is 4 years old. He does not care about my athletics background," Madison said. "He knows that I jumped. He likes watching videos, but he also thinks that he can outjump me. He keeps me very humble. "But I think the (Olympic) medals are important because it's like an external validation of work that most people don't get to see. It's a privilege to be in a sport where that's even a possibility. Like now, I'm doing my best work all day, every day with no medals." The Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame has inducted 540 individuals in 30 sports since 1976. Madison is one of 35 athletes chosen from track and field. "It really comes down to radical results, an almost delusional belief in your abilities," she said. "Even when you can't see them. You have that belief deep down that you can get it and express it." The Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame celebrates star athletes and notable sports figures born and/or raised in Greater Cleveland, or who have made their home in the nine-county Northeast Ohio region. Madison has become part of that elite Northeast Ohio fraternity. "I didn't allow for any shortcuts," she said. "We were always reminded where our presents came from. So it didn't make a lot of sense to be arrogant or happy about that, especially when I knew how hard it was to break 12 seconds." Her dad, Robert, a 1976 Elyria High graduate, had a front row seat working with Tianna and sister Christina, a 2006 Elyria grad. Christina was a track standout for Purdue after winning high school state titles as a member of the 4x100 with Tianna in 2003 and in the long jump in 2006. "I'm speechless," said Robert Madison. "It's been a long time. I've been waiting for the community to recognize her for a lot of different ways. I'm just thankful to the Lord. Three world championships, three Diamond League championships, nine state championships, in addition to her Olympic success. She's just a great person. "What can you say. It was hard work. Nobody knows what work we put into it to raise an Olympian. Nobody knows. Everybody else takes the credit. This is where all the credit is right here." Madison still holds the Ohio Division I long jump record of 20-5.75 set at the 2003 Division I state meet. She also holds the Lorain County girls record for the 100 meters (11.72) and 200 meters (24.02). Those marks were also set at the 2003 state meet. Also inducted Tuesday were Wanda Ford (East Tech and Drake University, basketball), Chris Spielman (Massillon and Ohio State, football), Stipe Miocic (Cleveland State, twice mixed martial arts heavyweight champion) and Jack Turben (meritorious service). Contact Paul Heyse at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.