CNATTU North Island’s own brings home Olympic gold

SAN DIEGO – Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit (CNATTU) North Island takes great pride in celebrating the Olympic journey of Michael A. Norman Jr., as the track athlete returned from Tokyo after placing 5th in the world in the men’s 400 meter final and taking gold as a member of the U.S. men’s 4x400 meter relay final.

Norman Jr. clinched his position in the Olympics with a trials win when he posted an impressive 44.07 in the 400 meters.  During the Olympics men’s 400-meter relay, he placed fifth with a timed run of 44:31, and assisted the men’s 4x400 relay domination over Netherlands and Botswana, to secure the gold.  The men’s team posted a collective time of 2:55:70.    
 
Junior’s father works as an aviation maintenance administration management training instructor at CNATTU North Island.  He said his son’s preparation for this moment began in his sophomore year in high school.

“Once he decided that he wanted to be the best track and field athlete he could be, he was all in,” Norman Sr. said. “He didn’t have much of a social life, he didn’t eat junk food, and he trained all year round.  All I did was support and encourage him to stay on course.”

The track star son reportedly gets his speed from his mother, Nobue Saito Norman, who was a star herself setting national junior high school sprint records in Japan.  The two parents met on the track team while at Los Angeles Valley College, so it’s completely understandable that the son is a world champion and one of the fastest young athletes on the planet.

Norman Sr. is incredibly proud of his son, and his son’s moment of receiving the gold medal at the podium obviously is a hallmark moment for the Norman family.

“This was his moment, one which he dreamed about,” Norman Sr. said, “and just seeing it come to life filled me with joy.  This has been his goal for since 2014...I am pretty sure it will be a highlight of his life.”

According to his father, Norman Jr. has his sights set on winning an individual gold medal one day, and with his impressive resume thus far (he has numerous track and field awards and holds several world’s best records, too), it’s not farfetched to think he’ll do it.

“He can say that he is an Olympic gold medalist and that means a lot,” Norman Sr. said.  “He is a member of a very small fraternity, and no one can take that away. His next goals will be to win an individual gold medal and break the world record.”