Conquering Hero : Olympic Champion Gail Devers Makes Her Triumphant Return to National City

Olympic gold medal sprinter Gail Devers has won again.

This time it was a homecoming victory at Sweetwater High School, where eight years ago she and her teammates captured the CIF track and field title.

Devers’ triumph Monday came without competition; without even setting foot on the track.

She won by going back to the starting line.

Winner of the Summer Olympics 100-meter dash in Barcelona, Devers was feted by her hometown with a parade and ceremony at her alma mater.

National City Mayor George H. Waters proclaimed the date as Gail Devers Day. Former teachers waxed nostalgic about Devers’ days as a determined Sweetwater student who put as much into her schoolwork as she did in her running. Students unveiled a sign announcing the newly named Gail Devers Stadium.

“From kindergarten on through high school, Gail was the kind who never wanted to miss a day of class,” said Devers’ father, the Rev. Larry Devers. “Doing well in school was her foundation. . . . A good starting point.”

Gene Alim, Devers’ high school track coach, said he, the Rev. Devers and Gail’s mother, Alave, decided early on that a career in sports would not prevent Gail from enjoying a well-rounded school life.

Discipline was left mostly up to Gail, who pushed herself to set goals and to train, Alim said.

“No matter what she was going to be college scholarship material,” Alim said. “We just didn’t want her to stress out on the competition.”

She went on to become National City’s most decorated high school athlete. During her high school years she competed in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter sprints, 800-meter run, the long jump, and the 100- and 300-meter low hurdles.

Girl’s high school individual track and field titles won by Devers included three state, four Southern California regional, 12 CIF and 12 Metro League.

On Monday, Devers, dressed in her red, white and blue Olympic warm-up suit, told a mostly student audience of the fears she faced in 1988 when she began suffering from Graves’ disease, a thyroid condition that caused skin to peel and her feet to bleed severely and swell. At one point during the two years when the condition was worst, she was threatened with losing both feet to amputation.

As she spoke to the crowd of about a thousand, she repeated encouragement for students to set high standards for themselves and to have the strength to realize their aspirations.

“If I can leave you with anything,” Devers said, “have your dreams. But then you have to be willing to get out their and work for them too.”

For about 15 minutes her talk was punctuated by errant screams from students and organized cheers by pep squads and sports teams who sat in groups.

Sweetwater’s varsity football team was led in synchronized hand-clapping by seniors Carl Street and Hector Wright.

“We’re just glad she didn’t forget her roots,” Wright said.