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HERRIMAN — The family of a world-class marathon runner who grew up in Herriman will be cheering him on in the Paris Olympics, but he won't be sporting red, white and blue.
There's a reason Rory Linkletter isn't competing for Team USA, and his family and friends — especially his mom — are absolutely ecstatic about it.
In the field behind Fort Herriman Middle School on Thursday, brothers Bridger Isbell and Roman showed up for football tryouts. Football is a family affair for them. Big brother Isbell is a coach, little brother Roman plays on the field, and mom Tara Thompson is always standing on the side to support them.
"For now it's football, and then in basketball season it'll be basketball," Thompson said, talking about her son Roman. He's the last of her five kids to work their way through all the various school sports.
For the past two decades, Tara Thompson has been a dedicated athletics mom whose evenings and weekends are usually spent watching practices, games, competitions and meets.
"This is pretty much where we'll be, at one field, or one track, or one gym or another," she said, with a laugh.
Soon, she'll fly to a faraway sideline to cheer on her eldest son, Rory Linkletter. Linkletter will be competing in the Olympic marathon.
It'll be the furthest Thompson's traveled for a competition.
"I've never even left North America," she said. "Just seems like a big, big thing to go to ... there was nowhere else I should be."
Linkletter grew up in Herriman, graduating from Herriman High School before running track at Brigham Young University.
While he'll be representing Utah, Linkletter will be competing for Team Canada — the country his mom is proudly from.
"I was pretty excited when he chose to represent Canada," a smiling Thompson said.
Linkletter was born in Canada, and Thompson explained they moved from Calgary to Utah when he was 5 years old. All of their extended family is back in Calgary, and Thompson explained they still took frequent road trips and flights back to visit.
After graduating from BYU, Thompson said Linkletter — who has dual citizenship — joined the junior cross-country team for Team Canada and competed in nationals for Team Canada.
She said it only seemed natural that if Linkletter competed in the Olympics, he would represent Canada.
"It really comes down to where his roots are from," Thompson said. "He takes a lot of pride in recognizing that that's where he's from, and you know, that's who he wants to represent."
His siblings, including Roman and Bridger Isbell, are, of course, thrilled.
Twelve-year-old Roman looks up to Linkletter.
"Sometimes when I go over to visit him, he gives me like basketball advice, football advice, because he played all those sports growing up," the soon-to-be seventh grader said.
He thinks it's pretty cool his big brother will be competing in the Olympics.
"I'm actually, like, really excited for that. I can't wait to stay up till midnight, basically, watch him," Roman said.
Isbell talked about how Linkletter has been a big influence and source of motivation in Isbell's life.
"Going to watch my older brother compete at nationals in Texas was like a really life-changing moment for me," Isbell said. "Definitely shaped a lot of the person who I am, because of him."
Competing in the Olympics, Isbell explained, is a dream moment for his brother.
"Just, super proud of him. Go Rory, you're going to kill it," Isbell cheered.
As they watch from Utah, Thompson will be right there in Paris, rooting for Linkletter in person.
"I'll be waiting at the finish line," the smiling mom said, with laughter.
Thompson and her husband, Linkletter's stepfather, will join family members in Paris who are traveling from Calgary, as well as British Columbia and California. Linkletter's wife and two young children will also be by his side.
With her son competing for gold, Thompson wouldn't miss it for the world.
"I know that whatever happens, he's done his best, and his best is always going to be wonderful," Thompson said. "I'm proud of him, and I know he's going to do amazing things."
