MASSILLON, Ohio — Like so many of his fellow Olympic athletes, Carlin Isles is looking forward to getting on the field of play and going for gold in Tokyo later this month.
The native of Massillon is set to compete in his second Olympics as a member of the USA Rugby team. And despite having to wait an extra year due to the pandemic, Isles has worked to keep himself in championship shape.
"It (the postponement) made me want to train even harder. And it was like, I went back to the drawing board and said, 'there’s a lot of things I can fix and get better at, so let me take advantage of that now,' because I didn’t have the time before. So for me, it was another year to prepare and get better and sharper," Isles told 3News.
Touted as 'the fastest man in rugby,' Isles has his eyes firmly focused on helping Team USA win gold in Tokyo. "Oh yeah, we’re definitely on a mission. Especially when you come up from the last four years. A couple years ago, we finished second in the world, so we’re just trying to make a statement. We want to medal, we really want to win Gold and that’s what we’re after."
Isles, who was a track and football star at both Massillon Jackson High School and Ashland University, doesn't often get back home to Northeast Ohio. But he always enjoys the opportunities to reconnect with family and friends when he gets back to Massillon. "I mean, I just love being home, seeing my family and friends. I don’t get here a lot. So when I do, I appreciate it a lot."
Watch our interview with Carlin Isles in the player below:
More Olympic Coverage: