It was just over ten years ago that Dan O'Brien, who grew up in Klamath Falls and attended local public schools, became an Olympic gold medalist, winning the grueling decathlon. It was a special moment for Klamath Falls, a town that has followed Dan's career not only with interest, but with a great deal of pride. On September 15, 1996, more than 3,500 people filled the stands of Oregon Institute of Technology to greet the hometown hero-whose accomplishments gave him the moniker of "the world's greatest athlete." Not since 1976 had an American won the gold medal in the decathlon, which made Dan's accomplishment that much more special. It was also a special moment for our company, which had helped sponsor Dan as well as providing him with the blue-green algae that he felt gave him an extra edge.

Dan's road to the gold was filled with challenges as well as victories. After graduating from high school in 1984, he placed fourth in the U.S. Junior Decathlon. In 1988, with the help of University of Idaho coach Mike Keller, Dan began to focus on developing his potential as a decathlete. By 1991, he had won his first World Championship. A missed vault in the Olympic trials kept Dan out of the 1992 Games in Barcelona, but just two weeks later he made up for it by setting a new world record in Talence, France. In 1992 he again won the World Championship. To prepare for the Atlanta Olympics, Dan trained eight hours a day, five to seven days a week. While training, Dan ate 25 to 30 capsules of Omega Sun® and Alpha Sun a day, and relied on Enzymes, Acidophilus, Bifidus, and Super Q10 to get the greatest nutritional benefit from his food. Dan told us: "The product is really important to me. It helps me physically, and that physical/emotional edge is something every athlete wants."

Dan also felt the support of our company through the many fans who eagerly followed his progress. Dan knew that "people out there care about me, not only as an athlete but as a person, and that makes me try a little bit harder and compete even better." We're still proud of Dan's accomplishments, and we're delighted to have been a part of helping Dan "Go for the Gold" with Super Blue Green Algae.

Dan paid a surprise visit to the Dallas event in November, entering by a side door just as the audience finished viewing a corporate video that included an updated interview with him. The crowd went wild! He shared the fact that he had recently turned 40, and those who saw him in Dallas would agree that he is likely the most fit 40-year-old we have ever seen. Dan looks forward to working as a spokesperson for Simplexity Health, and we look forward to helping spread the word about some of the young people he is coaching and working with. He has continued to use our products all these years, and is convinced that they continue to give him a competitive edge as he enters the world of Master's competition in track and field.

Read an interview with Dan discussing his gold medal victory.