“In Jesus’Name I Jump” with Shelby McEwen

Show Notes:

Shelby McEwen has been jumping and flipping off things since he was a little boy, and now he has an Olympic silver medal to show for it--which joins his many other high jump accolades. Shelby is a native of Oxford, Mississippi (where Eddie and Chris currently live). He was a member of the Northwest Mississippi Community College track and field team as well as the University of Alabama track and field team, where he became an SEC champion for both indoor and outdoor high jump. 

Shelby was a member of Team USA in 2020 at the Tokyo Olympics, where he finished twelfth. He earned his 2024 silver medal after a jump off with New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr.

Resources:

Follow Shelby on Instagram

Transcript:

Chris McAlilly 00:00 I'm Chris McAlilly.

Eddie Rester 00:01
And I'm Eddie Rester. Welcome to The Weight.

Chris McAlilly 00:04
Today we're talking to an Olympian.

Eddie Rester 00:07
Ourur very first Olympic medalist on the podcast, Chris.

Chris McAlilly 00:09

Yeah, Shelby McEwen from Oxford, Mississippi, who went to Paris, France and won the silver medal in the high jump. And today we have a conversation about his journey leading up to that moment.

Eddie Rester 00:21

He really shared a lot throughout the entire conversation about his faith and the way his faith really is woven into his success and his failure. He doesn't see his life, his athletic life, or his really is woven into his success and his failure. He doesn't see his life, his athletic life, or his failure or his success as something separate from his faith. And here's what I love, is that he grew up in a small church, surrounded by family. I mean, it sounds like if there was something happening at the church he was in it, and just the reminder of how faith just shapes a life over the course of time.

Chris McAlilly 00:53

Yeah, this is going to be a great conversation if you're a parent, that you might want to share with your kids. It might be one that you could share with someone who works with young people in terms of what someone like Shelby has received from mentors, coaches, teachers, the faith community that really has helped him to get to where he is today. And I do think that that's what I, one of the things that I'm just most impressed by, is he's had moments where he's been on the mountaintop, and he's had moments where he's been in the valley, and he talks us through kind of how he's navigated those parts of his journey. And yeah, there's an infectious joy to Shelby.

Eddie Rester 01:34 Absolutely, yeah.

Chris McAlilly 01:35
And you hear that. It comes through in our conversation with him. And I think that that, to me, is the most powerful dimension of his witness, is the joy.

Eddie Rester 01:44

So share this, make sure you send it to a friend or two. Make sure that you follow the podcast. We'd love to have you for all of our weeks, but I think this is one just because of the moment and all that he has achieved for our country and our town, here in Oxford. We're just thankful to have him with us. I think you're going to be thankful that you listen as well.

Chris McAlilly 02:06
[INTRO] The truth is, the world is growing more angry, more bitter, and more cynical. People don't trust one another, and we feel disconnected.

Eddie Rester 02:19

The way forward is not more tribalism. It's more curiosity that challenges what we believe, how we live and how we treat one another. It's more conversation that inspires wisdom, healing, and hope.

Chris McAlilly 02:31

So we launched the weight podcast as a space to cultivate sacred conversations with a wide range of voices at the intersection of culture and theology, art and technology, science and mental health. And we want you to be a part of it.

Eddie Rester 02:46
Join us each week for the next conversation on The Weight. [END INTRO]

Chris McAlilly 02:54
We're here today with Shelby McEwen, who comes from Oxford, Mississippi, all the way to Paris and back, and we're so glad to be in conversation with you today.

Shelby McEwen 03:05
Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Great morning, this morning. Man, just blessed to be here. Thanks for the opportunity, man, and I'm just looking forward to it.

Chris McAlilly 03:12
Yeah, we're excited to talk to you as well. Tell us what you're up to since you've been back from the Olympics. Where are you based, and are you training? Or kind of, what's going on?

Shelby McEwen 03:25

Well, currently, right now, I'm still in training. I have one more meet left, which is another big one, which is the Diamond League Final. Uh, I compete on the 14th of September. So I'll head out on the 11th. It'll be over in Brussels, which is part of Belgium. And man, just looking forward to it. Just want to feed off the energy, feed off the high from the Paris Olympic Games. I'm based in Houston, Texas, been here a little over a year. And man, it's amazing. And whenever I get a chance to get to Oxford, man, I sneak in, and it doesn't be as long as I used to get today, but sneak in, spend time with family, spend time with a couple friends, couple classmates. Sneak in and sneak right back out. But yeah, man, it's been an amazing year, so far.

Eddie Rester 04:10

Well, let me tell you, people in Oxford are so proud of you. It's just been exciting for a town the size of Oxford to have not one but two medalists this year. Tell us a little bit about your journey. You graduated high school in 2014, from Oxford high. I'm assuming Chris Bush and Coach Patton, were they your coaches back in the day?

Shelby McEwen 04:33 Yes, sir.

Eddie Rester 04:34
Tell us a little bit about kind of how you found your athletic rhythm. You were also a basketball player. So tell us a little bit about that journey to finding your way to the high jump,

Shelby McEwen 04:45

Man. Well, starting off at a young, very young age, my mom and dad was very involved with me with Upwards basketball right there at North Oxford. North Oxford, First Baptist Church. And I think it started with just sportsmanship, the discipline that they instilled in me, you know, the faith in them praying over me as a young child. Growing up, I was a great kid through school, every day. None of my teachers, no problem. They used to always look at me as the pet peeve growing up. But man, basketball was my first love. I mean, I was very athletic. I was at Lafayette through my elementary days up to my junior high school days, and then I finally decided to transfer to Oxford and play under Coach Drew Tyler. At the time, I was doing a little bit of high jumping, but I was taking basketball more serious, and so it was so hard to put the ball down, because my junior year, I went to Vegas and won a Jordan Brand dunk contest in 2014.

Eddie Rester 05:44 Oh, wow.

Shelby McEwen 05:45

And so that whole year, I didn't do track that year, and I made state. I was telling Coach Bush and Coach Patton. I was like, Hey, man, I think I'm gonna decide to see where my basketball offers can go and just, you know, get on the circuit, on the AU circuit, and just travel with my AU team that was out of Memphis. And I came back that following year and, and that was my last year of high school. Of course, you know, we had a great season with basketball. And I was like, let me just put a little more focus on the high jump side and see what I can do. And I come to find out, I end up getting a High School Championship in the individual high jump. And hey, man, I said it was... Part of me still was like, man, I'm still deciding between basketball and track. I was back and forth, back and forth. And so I decided to do my first two years of college at Northwest Community College, where I played two years of basketball. And an incredible story. After each season--nd I was averaging, like, 12 points a game, getting a lot of steals, very athletic, like I said, and it was a great, great two seasons. But after my freshman and sophomore year, I decided to go to my coach. And I had an idea that came about. I said, "Hey, Coach, how would you feel about me maybe jumping unattached at a few meets?" You know, enter my name in a few college meets, and seeing how it goes. He was like, "Man, I support whatever you want to do. This is your career. This is your future. And hey, we support you here at Northwest." So I got in a few meets. I did one meet down at Mississippi State. I did a meet at Southern Miss. I went to a meet at Auburn one year, and also I did a meet at Alabama. And I wasn't training for track and field or the high jump at the time. I just knew I could jump. And I was going to those meets, beating those different colleges athletes out. And I'm like, man, maybe this is my calling. And so that's when the offers, the big time Power Five division offers, such as Ole Miss Mississippi State, Alabama, Auburn, they started offering me a scholarship for track and field. They was like, man, we got to get this kid, like, on our track program here at, you know, whatever school. And so I was like, I took a few visits. A lot of people tried to get me stay in Oxford, but, man, it was something about that visit when I went to Alabama, got to meet Coach Saban. It was just tough, man, I just felt like it was home. But it's just, you know, I feel like, super welcome. And then, of course, you gotta look at Alabama football, the history.

Eddie Rester 07:22
Right. Especially when you were going, that was the big games.

Shelby McEwen 08:10

Yeah, and I told myself, I said, maybe I can get to this school and change this track program around so it won't have to be just all about, "oh, Alabama football," because we know Alabama football as you know the legacy that lives behind Alabama. And so I got there, All-American, three-time SEC champion, got my first national championship. And hey, man, I feel like in that moment through college, I moved in, like, hey, this is my calling. S o I just had to be obedient. And then once I started having fun with it, I kept it going, and I made my first outdoor world team in 2019. God has been taking me ever since then, man, and I haven't looked back yet.

Chris McAlilly 08:51

That's such an amazing story. Man, thank you so much for sharing. There's so many things that I think about. Last night, I went to my I went to my seventh grade son's seventh grade football game. It was his first football game. And so you just think about this journey of these 13-year- old kids, and some of them are going to stick with one sport, or some of them are going to try different ones. And everybody in seventh grade is really just trying to figure out who they are, what they're about, and they're trying it in different directions. And so, you know, maybe for kids that are in Oxford or across the country who are at that stage of their life, and they're 12, they're 13, they're 14 years old, and they're at the beginning of their journey, what advice would you give to a young person just about trying to navigate where they are and kind of their hopes and their ambitions? And maybe they watched you in the Olympics, and, you know, they saw what you did. What advice would you give to a young person?

Shelby McEwen 09:49

And so I had to kind of like... I guess he was putting it in a sense of like, you have to retract your steps and take a step back to just be thankful for everything that went on to get you here. And so the encouragement and motivation I would give to younger kids is just like I said, just keep working hard. Keep the dream alive, keep the faith. Never give up on your dreams, because at the end of the day it's you versus you, and long as you know that God is with you, can't nobody else stop you. Man, so my nephew Caden is actually a part of the seventh grade football team. I've got an older nephew Colin Blackman, that plays at Charlotte, up in North Carolina. And. I talk to them guys all the time because, of course, they look up to me. But man, the advice I would give is just, you know, stay down, stay humble. Trust the journey for one. Keep God first. Sometimes, like I was at church right before I left and went to Paris, and the pastor was preaching on how we have to appreciate the times, to appreciate the downfalls, appreciate the struggles, in order to get to where I've gotten today. And so how I went about it growing up, man, once I found my rhythm, once I found that vision, that discipline and that dedication, like I said, these last few years, I knew it was something that God had in store for me. I just had to wait on his time. And so once I was patient with him, and I prayed on it, and I knew that his timing was the best timing, and not on my timing. That's when everything started to fall in place. So I feel like it was a part of him testing me out, to feel like, "Hey, Shelby, can I trust you with this? Can I trust you to be here? Can I trust you to do this away from the track, to be successful on the track?" And so I feel like once I started doing the small things to take care of the big things on the track, it's when success just started pouring in. And so man, it's a journey that you just have to trust. You have to believe. And for one, man, just keep the faith and be obedient to your parents and just enjoy it. Enjoy the moment, have fun. And I mean, I feel like being so young, like you said, a lot of kids just are trying to figure out what they want to do, but once they find that drive for that certain sport, that certain career, I say, just stick with it and run with it. Just go all the way.

Chris McAlilly 12:06

I love that. I love that you said, "do the small things right." I had a coach that told me that, like, do the little things right and big things can happen. The other thing that I hear in your story is that you had some key mentors or coaches or individuals, particularly in your story that you just shared, you talked about the person who said, "I support you. This is your journey." I think that's so powerful when you have an adult, you know, with a young person who gives that kind of encouragement at the right moment. And in every story of people that I come across that have experienced some measure of success, or, you know, they're doing well, healthy and thriving, there tends to be those individuals. So I want to ask you that, what advice would you give to someone who's working with young people, either working with middle school or high school kids? What would be your advice to somebody who's in that mentor role, either a youth pastor or a coach or a teacher or administrator? How would you,w what advice or wisdom would you offer from your journey?

Shelby McEwen 13:09

Most definitely. So I feel like, first of all, it starts with a team. You got to have the people on your team that believes in you. For one, they got to believe in their abilities to believe in you. And I feel like I stepped out on faith, man, and I decided to make a move to Houston. I knew it was a big transition for me, moving from Louisville, Kentucky. I mean, I loved it there in Louisville, you know, the Derby City. And my coach there, he was super cool. He was super close. I mean, he was super supportive, but he was just trying to figure out what he wanted to do at the time. And I feel like it just had me all over the place. But nothing bad against him, because he was taking different jobs, and he just wasn't comfortable where he was at at the time. But it was a lot of success thatthat still came behind it. I was making teams. I was making championship finals. He was super supportive. So nothing against him. And so my agent, he decided to put me in, connection with a guy here in Houston, Texas. He's been here 13 years, has a great, great resume, man, and is a great coach. And I feel like when I first got here, of course, we bumped heads and everything. But... can y'all still hear me?

Eddie Rester 14:15
We can, yeah, you're good.

Shelby McEwen 14:17

Okay, of course, yeah, we bumped heads and we went through a little trials and tribulations. And I feel like he just instilled a lot in me, saying that, hey, man, I know it's a different change for you. The city here in Houston is a lot bigger, a lot more things. He was like, you just have to find that focus to somehow bore yourself. It's okay to have fun, but we got one goal, and we're on a mission. And once I realized that, and we started to click, me and my coach is like this now. Man, it's surreal, because, like after the meet in Indo worlds, when I got my first medal back in March. Man, he hugged me and he was like, "Man, I just appreciate you for allowing me to coach you and allowing me to trust you with everything and everything that we have access to." Once he says all that to me. Man, that just brightens my soul. I'm like, man, I've been doing this for multiple years now. He just here to support, coach me, get me fit, get me stronger and so, man, in that moment, I was like, hey, I'm gonna just go out and take a whole different approach with my training, with my eating. Everything changed up, and that's when success started to happen. Because, people, some people don't know the real story behind what we do, and we talked about it yesterday at practice. It's like, you're the only high jumper that's doing, totally different things than other high jumpers. I don't jump at practice. Part of my training, majority of my training, is on the basketball court, and I feel like that makes it fun. And so I feel like once that story gets out there, they was like, man, with limited access, they out here getting the job done and jumping high when it counts the most. And so I feel like that confidence he has in me boosts my confidence, because he always tells me. He said, "Hey, man, Shelby, you know how to high jump. Go do what you do. Go, have fun. I believe in you. I'm just here to watch the show." So the advice I would give to athletes, with mentors, with a coach, talk to your coach. Get a relationship with your coach. Get a relationship with your mentor. Get a relationship with a friend, a family member that supports you, that believes in you, and that has your back 100%. And I feel like once you form that team, only success can come behind it. It's not gonna always be good, because y'all gonna have your disagreements and agreements, but you just gotta trust the process. Stick by their side. They'll stick by your side. And just let them know, hey, if there's something that you don't feelfeel that's working for you. We had to talk about that. I said, "Hey, Coach, I feel like this is not gonna work. Maybe we can try it out later in the fall for next season." And we had that understanding, and when everything just started to come together, that's when we started to find a lot of success for the both of us. And this has been beyond amazing this year.

Eddie Rester 16:48

Well, it's obviously working in the Olympics. I think it was you jumped your personal best in the Olympics. Is that, right?

Shelby McEwen 16:55 Yes, sir.

Chris McAlilly 16:56 That's a good time to do it.

Eddie Rester 16:57
That's a good time to do that.

Shelby McEwen 16:59 Yes, sir.

Eddie Rester 17:00

And you jumped, and I looked this up because it's meters, you know. You jumped almost eight feet. You jumped almost eight feet. That is... I'm a short guy. That's unfathomable to me, that you could... Anyway, we'll get more into that. But let' talk about the Olympics for a second.

Shelby McEwen 17:20

Man, I'm gonna be honest. Coming into this year, man, I knew, I told myself, praying on the staying down. I just want to tell you about the journey leading up to the Olympics. So coming into this year, prayed on it. My coach had gave me a sheet in my binder. We had a binder because I'm a Nike athlete. He made a binder at the beginning of last year, when we started fall training, and it had a Nike on it. It had my name with the Olympic rings. So that was one thing that just boosted my faith, boosted my confidence, just being able to look at that the whole year, that whole, however, many months, eight, nine months, leading up until the Summer Olympic Games.

Eddie Rester 17:20

The Olympics in Paris, just from our side, those who were watching you and others, it just looked like joy. I know there was a lot of work for the athletes, but you also went to Tokyo, right, kind of in the after wash of COVID. So talk to us. What was your favorite thing outside of winning a silver medal, what was your favorite thing about being at the Olympics? What did you just love about it this year?

Shelby McEwen 18:25

And so just being in Paris, I feel like, man, we knew what was at task. We had the idea. We had everything planned out. I mean, I've been jumping. This is the best, this is the strongest I've been in my career. I talked, I was talking to Stan Kenji like, Man, you've been looking good all year. Man, you've been looking great all year. And I told him, I said, it's the best I've felt my whole career, just confidence-wise, just discipline, just focus. I've been, like, being super consistent. I was averaging 7'6, 7'5, and we knew that we could get to the Olympics on the biggest stage of our lives and jump a PB, because I've been attempting it all year long. And like I said, that goes back to show that, hey, man, I feel like it was all in God's time. I've been visioning it. I made a vision board. Speaking of the vision board, I put everything that I want to accomplish on the vision board. And so I stood on that and I looked at it every morning, and I still do. I got other things on it. I look at it every morning when I get up, and every night before bed. And so the journey there in Paris was just totally different from Tokyo, because, of course, we didn't have any fans. COVID was all over the place, having to take COVID tests. And it's just like, I think I was in a moment of like, "Oh, I'm an Olympian," and wasn't looking at the bigger steps to get on the podium. I was just glad to be there. And it was also, like I said, tough for a lot of different athletes because of no fans, and I feed off the crowd. So this year in Paris, man, was beyond amazing, just being able to attend to opening ceremonies. Meet LeBron James.

Eddie Rester 19:52 Did you really?

Shelby McEwen 19:54

Yes, it was great. It was amazing. And it was raining, but we made the most of it. So the opening ceremony. Just being able to be in the athletes' lounge and just, you know, mingle with other different athletes from different countries, and just being able to be just free in the world and just enjoy the full Olympic experience. You know, being able to walk around Paris and tour the city. And another big thing I feel like, what meant the most to me is being able to have my mom, my dad, my aunt, my godsister, and just being able to have family there. Because I have it on my chest, "family this forever," and it was no other better way than having my dad there, because my mom came to Europe last year to Budapest for the world championship. But was no other way for my dad to be in a moment like that, his first time out the country, in Paris at the Olympic Games. So I think that was the tears of joy when I was, you know, hugging them after everything was finished, just being able to have them there, supporting me. And then, like I said, we was in front of, like 70,000 people. And so I fed off all the energy, all off the, you know, the energy and the fans. Man, it was amazing. And I told my coach, man, I was like, "If we could do it all over again right now, we'll go back and do it all over again right now." Yes, sir. So it was a blessing just being able to have my family there and being able to, you know, spend time with them and everything.

Eddie Rester 21:10

I want to talk about them in just a second, but I also want to ask, were the muffins really as good as everybody talked about it? There were these magic muffins somewhere.

Shelby McEwen 21:20

It's crazy because, so, in the village, the food wasn't the best, but of course, you gotta eat. It's something I've got adjusted to, and a lot of different, like, the young athletes that was their first team. I was like, "Hey, we just gotta make the most of it." You gotta eat. You gotta eat. Just gotta eat. Take it in. And so the muffins were actually amazing. They were amazing. Like, super good. I only ate one, but a lot of athletes was eating them. But, uh, we was blessed to have the HPC, which was Team USA's training facility. We brought our own personal chefs down and had like, US meals, and they were speaking of steak and chicken. So we was getting, like, good protein and good food in. And then my coach was talking. I was like, "Hey, Coach, I think I gained weight." So I think I might have put on like five pounds right there before, like, the qualifying round and the finals.

Eddie Rester 21:33 Just eat.

Shelby McEwen 22:08

And so we was blessed to have access to our own training facility, uh, something that a lot of countries didn't get, just being able to do that. And Team USA supporting us through that, it helped out a lot, you know, when it came to eating your meals, make sure you get your fruit and your different proteins and stuff in.

Eddie Rester 22:26

And then, of course, the training site was amazing, just being able to be there around other just US athletes from all types of sport. I mean, we had like a whole 15-minute talk with the volleyball team on the girls and men's side. We had the bar practice at, like 2.37 , and those guys were like, "Man, you're really jumping that high!" I was like, "Hey, man, that's the goal, come this weekend," you know. That's right, yeah.

Shelby McEwen 22:45

Including this bar. So it was like, man, we just had a whole conversation with them. It kind of took up a little bit of time at practice. So it was just the fun things like that, just to make me look at it like, hey, man, this is, this is amazing, you know, so.

Chris McAlilly 22:58

I want to come back and ask you just about growing up here in Lafayette County. And I want to come back specifically and talk about your faith, your faith journey. So you talked about that, about praying, praying on it and the importance of your family. And you grew up at Providence United Methodist Church in Abbeville. Talk about that experience, that faith community, and kind of what that looked like for you as a kid, and kind of how that helped to shape you.

Shelby McEwen 23:28

Yes, sir. Man, growing up in Abbeville, small, small town, of course, small United Methodist Church. Man, we was super, super close with the elderly people, from the pastors that we had in the past, to the youth choir, the youth ministry, to the male choir, the mass choir. I was involved in everything. Vacation Bible School because I... People don't know I have a hidden talent, because I sing, too. I also can sing, and so I think that runs more on my dad's side of the family, because my dad, my dad's dad was a singer, and my dad's sister can sing, and it runs in the family on my dad's side. So I sang in the church growing up. Was involved in devotionals and just... And I was saved as a young, you know, I got baptized young, and then rededicated my life as I got on up in my teenage years. And so it just meant a lot to me, man, just being able to be close in a small community, and just us as a whole, pushing and believing in one another, and instilling that, faith goes a long way, instilling that education on how God was our Savior, and you know, he died for us. And you know, everything we do, we do it for him. Like, I've been saying, "In Jesus' name I jump," for the last, I don't know how many years and like, I know without him, every jump I look at is like, hey, God first, me, and the bar. That's my only competition. I feel like he just continued to just take me higher and higher and higher, right there in Paris. So, yeah, just growing up in a small community like Abbeville, Providence United Methodist Church, man, meant a lot to me. We learned a lot just from talking to my great- grandmother. She instilled a lot in us, and just a close-knit family, and it really means a lot. And so my favorite scripture I had on my vision board is Philippians 4:13, where, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." And I know through him that if I just, you know, keep the faith, keep going, and just be a good steward to people, you know. Like you said, be a good steward to people. Don't mind talking to people and motivating people, and be a light to someone else in the world. And once you do that stuff, I just feel like, God, he takes care of the rest, man. It's been such an amazing journey, on just the outlook at life, and just 28 still young, and just more opportunities out there for me, for others, and just being able to instill that into the young people, even the older people that look up to me, and just being able to show them that, hey, I did it. You can also accomplish it, too.

Chris McAlilly 26:01

Yeah, I love that. The thing that I hear in that is the power of not only a faith community and a family that's behind you, having that as part of your secure foundation, you know, that firm faith in Christ, that kind of rooted and grounded you, and it really does. You know, the other thing that I hear is the power of your witness. And I think that, I think you're, what I hear in that, man, is that you're just scratching the surface of of the way in which you'll be able to offer a powerful witness to Christ, as your platform continues to grow. And, you know, "In Jesus' name I jump." That's pretty powerful.

Eddie Rester 26:40 That's fantastic,

Shelby McEwen 26:41

Man. It's very powerful. If you notice, on that personal best, I cleared 2.34 on my last attempt, and I, you know, just looked up to the sky like, "Thank you, God." But on that 2.36 first attempt, I couldn't do nothing, but just, oh my God, just lay out because I knew in that jump, man, I could just feel it. Like, I could feel it on takeoff. And when I realized, and I got up and I saw I cleared the bar, I was like, oh, wow. God, he just kept taking me higher and higher and higher. And it's like, in that moment, man, if you saw the smile on my face, I was having so much fun. Just let him just use me, use him, like, knowing that the work has been put in, man, I had so much fun. Like, every attempt, every run, I'm like, okay, God first. I'm gonna let God first, you, and the bar. And before every approach, every takeoff, I make a big smile. And I'm like, Man, I'm just really out here having fun. And I realized the more fun you have in the sport, in any sport, the more success also comes behind it. So I try not to think about nothing, if I miss this bar just come back and just prepare yourself and fix the small things to get over the next height, you know. So I started having fun, man. And it's been like that all season, starting from indoor up to now. I just took it, like, totally different. And just, you know, like I said, I feel like it was a level of discipline, a level focus, a level of just, you know, making sure I'm putting the right things in my body to be able to get the good outcomes on the track. So I knew all that was coming with it. And just like I said, I knew God was just going to take care of the rest. And so I told myself, prior to leaving, going to Paris, I said, in 2020, you know, it was a lot different. I finished. I made the finals and finished twelfth, because they take top 12 to the finals. But I finished 12. And you know how they say the first will be last and the last shall be first. And I told myself that morning, when I got up, I got my podium uniform, I put it in my bag, and I told myself, I said, I don't know what it is that you have for me, God. I'm not going to show myself. Let go. I prayed over myself, and I told myself, I say, hey, this time, I'm going for a purpose, and I'm going for a reason, and I will not walk away without a fight, and I told myself, without a medal. I got my family here watching, and I just knew then, man, he already had the rest. It was already written. Man, I was talking about it from the US trials and my confidence, people just like, "Man, I can hear it in your confidence. I can see it in your fitness and how everything is just working for you." And I'm like, man, that's nobody but God, because people see it. And for one, I clearly been speaking this over my whole season, and it's like, wow, God. It's amazing how you work in my life, and people can see it. You know what I mean? So I just took it that way, man, and just kept going, and hey, I got me a silver medal. And that's just more motivation and confidence leaning over into the next four years from now, so.

Eddie Rester 29:34

So walk us through that moment when you realized you had won the silver medal. And there was a jump off. And if you're listening and you didn't watch the jump off, all of Oxford was watching the jump off. It was on Facebook. I'm texting with people. "You're watching Shelby right now?" And so in that, kind of what goes through your mind when you realized,"I am a medalist in the Olympics." Man, it was a lot of controversy about the jump off. The guy from New Zealand. We've been battling all year long. Right.

Shelby McEwen 30:11

Just me and him, back and forth. So he came up to me and said, the night before, he had a dream that he was gonna have a jump off with somebody, but he didn't know who was gonna be with. And so when he came up to me, he said, "You're gonna have... You've been having a tremendous season. So I had a feeling that it could have been you," but we couldn't count the Italian Tamberi, the guy from Qatar, Barshim, out. And so he came up to me, we came up to the judge. He was like, "Hey, man, let's jump off." And I'm saying, let's do it. And I told people, I said, you only can crown one champion at the end of the day. You don't crown two NBA champions. We fought. We fought out to the end. He came out on top, and hey, I got the silver medal. But in that moment, man, when I realized I finished on the podium and I got a medal, I was like, wow, God. Like, it's amazing how you work. And I just... It hit me when I went up to my mom and dad and just hugged them, that's when the tears started coming down, just tears of joy, tears of excitement, and just knowing in that moment, hey, that was the first medal for the men's high jump in the US since 2012 and so, hey, man, it was just praises and honor to God that whole way. And like, I'm still on cloud nine, man, like, it'd be times where, when I come from something big, I don't know when it'll hit me by myself, but it'd be times where it hit me. I've just been so busy and just talking to people. And like, the more people I talk to, knowing the support that I've had and people that watch is when you realize, like, wow. Like these people truly, genuinely, watch the high jump. They were like, "Oh, we know who you are. We got to see you in the jump off here, Shelby," and that's in the moment like, oh my god, I really appreciate the love and support, and that's what you think about, like, man, I really had people watching. And so, man, in that moment, like I said, when I got the medal, it was a hectic night. The whole night, because I didn't get in until, like, two o'clock just having to go through drug testing. We had to go through the press conference, media, and signing autographs. Man, it was beautiful. Man, it was like a dream come true. And like I said, I'm still on cloud nine, just trying to take it all in and just take it one day at a time and enjoy it. And I can't wait to come home to enjoy with family. Unfortunately to say, we're not gonna be able to do a parade, but maybe we could do like a meet and greet or something on the Square, where a lot of kids can come through, you know. So just looking forward to a lot of opportunities, just to network off of. And I talked to Sam a couple days ago. He was like, man, you know, Sam is overseas, jumping at two Diamond Leagues, but I actually punched my ticket into the Diamond League final. So I think me and my coach had made the right decision to just come home, you know, recharge, refuel your body, get as much rest in your own bed, and hey, right outside of less than three weeks before competition. So just come back in, get the training in, and just feel like you just clear your mind, okay. Like, okay, the Olympics are over with. We got another important meet coming up. And so I think I made the right decision to do that, instead of having to just be overseas and deal with the hassle of travel and everything.

Chris McAlilly 32:59

Yeah, that sounds right. I mean, I think one of the things, so family and faith are in the background, but what is very clear, in kind of how you approach your craft, is your vision is clear, and then your discipline and dedication to that vision is also very clear. And I see that, I hear that even now. It's like you win the medal and you get back to work, you know?

Eddie Rester 33:21 Back to work.

Chris McAlilly 33:21

And I think that that's, I think that's a valuable lesson that I'm trying to instill in my kids, is, don't get too high, don't get too low, but just stay focused on what it is that is the goal at hand, and then stay committed and disciplined. I did want to ask, you know, I think we've talked and then stay committed and disciplined. I did want to ask, you know, I think we've talked about that, the high moment, this moment of glory that you experienced when you, you know, you're in the lights and everybody's eyes are on you, and you perform your best at that moment. I wonder if you maybe could go back and, you know, as we're kind of wrapping up here. I wonder if you could go back. Is there a moment not in the Olympics when, you maybe not even, t could be a long time ago where you experienced some adversity or a failure, something that just did not go your way, that was a hard moment that you were able to overcome? I wonder if you could go to from the top of the mountain back down to the valley. And if somebody finds themselves in the valley today and they're experiencing some adversity, I wonder if you could maybe take us to a moment in your own life where that happened and how you overcame it.

Shelby McEwen 34:32

Most definitely I feel like, uh, we all go through trials and tribulations and face challenges in our lives. Like I said, man, the years leading up to it, man, I was one spot away from medaling in 2022, and I always tell myself, I feel like it could be a test from God to where it's like, okay, "Shelby, are you ready for this? Can I trust you with this?" You know, "I feel like, it's your time, but right now, hold." He just said, "Be still." And so I think the moment last year, a lot of people counted me out, including, you know, my sponsors, a lot of different people who was just like, okay, this is his first year in Houston. I know Houston is a place where he's not focused. Was I focused? I can be honest with myself, I wasn't fully focused, like I was supposed to be. But God allowed me to to make that Budapest World Championship team just battling like a hamstring injury. Never really been injured on the track side of things, but it was just things I was doing away from the track. And I didn't realize at the time on how, you know, of course, we know the devil can play in one way, but you gotta also know that God is stronger, and at the top of the top. And so he allowed me to recover, get some healing, make the team. I get to Budapest, and it didn't go the way I wanted. I made the final. A lot of people looked at us like, Oh, he's not gonna make the final. So just all the outsiders I just have to ignore, and just knew the routine and the plan that God had for me. And I ended up finishing like seven, and I laid out on the track, and I just prayed and I asked God just for forgiveness of everything I've done leading up to now. And I made a promise to myself and him that I will come back from this, and I will bounce back better than ever. Because, I mean, when you notice you've been around in the sport for so long, or doing something for so long, you want to achieve a specific goal at the highest of the highest. And I always knew I had the ability. God knew. I knew God put the ability in me to become a medalist, to be a world champion, to be American record holder, even to break the world record. And like you said, that goes back to the vision. But like I said, the adversity I face, man, it was just hamstring injury last year, uh, making the finals at Budapest. But also just knowing I finished seventh. It was just a bad feeling, man. And at the time, I just prayed, and I was like, You know what? Pick your head up. You know, you got more in you. It's more to come, just trust the process. Stick to the script. Trust me to just guide your footsteps, guide your every journey, and be obedient to what he tells me. And once I started doing that, that's when I found success through this whole season that started off back in February, January of earlier this year, when I opened up with a season best of 7'5. I was averaging 7'5. Get to indoor World Championships and get a silver medal. That was confidence leading over in the outdoor. Got my first Diamond League win. Everything that I put on the vision board started to come to pass. And so I knew that my time was here. My time was now. I stood firm on it, and I just let God take care of the rest, man. And it's been, like I said, it's been an amazing journey, an amazing outlook on how your life can change around in the blink of an eye. And it takes time. But one thing I learned is just, it's all in God's timing. And just do small things, like I said, to be successful. And for the younger ones, be obedient to your parents, be a good steward to your classmates, to your teachers. Keep your grades up and man, you can do anything in this world, in this life, that you put your heart and mind to. Surround yourself with the right people. My mom always tell me, "Hey son, you're a leader. You're not a follower. Find somebody to follow you and look up to you." And once they instilled all that in me, man, it's just like, I know kids, everybody looks up to me. I don't know if it's a glow on me, but it's like, I just try to let my light shine to everybody else, to instill that in them. And I think I'm doing a very great job of that, and I know I'm gonna continue to do that. And any way I can help anybody out, that's what I do. So.

Eddie Rester 38:39
Well, Shelby, there's a lot of joy in you. I think that's what people are drawn to joy.

Chris McAlilly 38:42 Yeah.

Eddie Rester 38:43

And I see that. I'm so thankful for you and your faith and the way that it really is woven into every bit of your story. And let me tell you a couple things. I want to meet your mom and dad. I want to meet the people who made you, sometime. I need to figure out sometime. And two, I'm going to make an offer for Chris, if you need a place to meet your fans.

Chris McAlilly 39:03 Yeah, yeah, come on.

Eddie Rester 39:04 When you're back in town.

Chris McAlilly 39:07 Okay.

Eddie Rester 39:08

OUUnited Methodist Church, you know, it's just right there beside the Square. Be great. A lot of parking. You know, it'd be a great spot. We'd love... I say we, but...

Chris McAlilly 39:16 Yeah, yeah.

Eddie Rester 39:16 I'll say we.

Chris McAlilly 39:17 Yeah, say we.

Eddie Rester 39:18
It's where I go to church now. So we'd love to have you.

Shelby McEwen 39:21 Awesome.

Eddie Rester 39:22
But we're so proud of you, Shelby, and excited for you, and good luck in your next meet, and

anything we can ever do for you, let us know. But...

Chris McAlilly 39:31
Yeah, thanks for taking your joy around the world, man, seriously.

Shelby McEwen 39:34 I appreciate, man.

Chris McAlilly 39:35

And thank you for your witness to Christ on the global stage. It's so, so refreshing, and it's so awesome, you know, for kids from Lafayette County to have an opportunity to have somebody like you to look up to. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Keep on going. Keep jumping high and high and high,

Shelby McEwen 39:54 Yes, sir.

Chris McAlilly 39:54
And we'll keep following your journey. Man, thanks so much.

Eddie Rester 39:57 Thank you. Man.

Shelby McEwen 39:58

I appreciate it, man. In Jesus' name I jump. I preciatethe opportunity. Hey, I'll let y'all know and keep y'all updated. I got y'all number. I'll be home actually, right after the Diamond League Final for like, maybe two weeks.

Eddie Rester 40:08 Let us know.

Shelby McEwen 40:09
Anywhere between those times, we can get something together and plan something out, and we can go from there.

Eddie Rester 40:13 That would be awesome.

Chris McAlilly 40:13
We would love that. We would love that.

Shelby McEwen 40:17
Sounds good, man. It was nice talking to y'all.

Chris McAlilly 40:19

Eddie Rester 40:19
[OUTRO] Thanks for listening. If you've enjoyed the podcast, the best way to help us is to like, subscribe, or leave a review.

Chris McAlilly 40:28

If you would like to support this work financially, or if you have an idea for a future guest, you can go to theweightpodcast.com. [END OUTRO]