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Date: February 16, 2006
Contact: Bill Sodoma

 

Former Colby coach Wescott has son win Olympic gold

Jim Wescott, the former coach of men’s cross country and track and field at Colby College, has a smile on his face today in Italy.

Seth Wescott, Jim’s son, is an Olympic champion after winning the snowboardcross (SBX) event on Thursday at the Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy. He becomes the first Olympic champion in the sport being run for the first time at the Olympics.

Jim Wescott and his wife, Jo, were in Italy to watch Seth win the gold medal.

Wescott, 29, won the world championship in snowboardcross last year at the SBX World Championships in British Columbia. He also has won seven medals in the X-Games.

Snowboardcross has four riders at a time competing against each other on a 3,100-foot long course. Wescott, who resides in Farmington, Maine, had to ride in four heats before finally edging silver medallist Radoslav Zidek of Slovakia in the final heat.

Jim Wescott started at Colby in 1978 and spent 25 years leading the men’s cross country and track and field programs. He spent nine years as head coach of the same programs at North Carolina State before coming to Colby.

Jim Wescott led Colby to three New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) titles in cross country in 1987, 1990 and 1993. He also led the men’s outdoor track and field team to the NESCAC championship in 1986.