Former BYU heptathlete, Weber State assistant recalls Olympic journey


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OGDEN — Tiffany Lott Hogan knows track and field.

The former BYU standout won the NCAA heptathlon championship in 1997-98, and went on to compete in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, where she finished 20th.

But her Olympic journey — as incredible and unforgettable as it was — was also full of pain, tragedy and triumph.

KSL Golf took Hogan out on the course for the first time in her life.

“I started at the age of 11, and by 12 I had the goal of wanting to go to the Olympics," Hogan said. "I think watching the Olympics got me excited to go. Hearing all the stories of athletes conquering adversity and wanting to compete at the top of their game.

“I was really enjoying competing, and loved my track meets when I came home with different colored medals and ribbons. I really enjoyed competition, and knew that was the top level of competing in that event.”

Hogan looked up to track and field legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee, modeling her.

“She is the world record holder, and she was in the prime of her life when I was growing up,” Hogan said. “Watching her compete at the ’88 and ’92 Olympics, I had the chance before the ’96 Olympics to compete against her.”

Hogan topped Joyner-Kersee in the javelin, and beat her out of the blocks in the 200-meter dash. But that was as far as she got.

Courtesy photo: Tiffany Lott Hogan
Courtesy photo: Tiffany Lott Hogan

“Within three steps, she had already passed me,” Hogan said with a laugh. “She was really fast.

“It was an eye-opener for me.”

By 1995, Hogan qualified for the 1996 Olympic trials but missed the event with a knee injury.

“That fueled me for 2000,” she said. “All these stories I had heard of other Olympians overcoming adversity, and I had my first major test: overcoming knee surgery.”

In 2000, Hogan placed fourth at the U.S. Olympic trials, just missing qualifying. She was devastated — and more so when one of the athletes ahead of her withdrew without competing.

“She didn’t let the committee know in time, and they couldn’t get me over there to compete,” Hogan said. “I was fuming.

“But at that point, I decided I needed some time off and my husband and I decided to start a family.”

One year later, Hogan’s oldest child was born. Next she attempted to get back into Olympic shape.

“Getting back in shape was probably even harder than knee surgery,” Hogan said. “I had absolutely no abs and then trying to get everything tucked back into its original place made things move a little different.

“But I moved just as fast. I became a more efficient trainer and worked out with more drive.”


I love coaching It’s so enjoyable, to train kids to run faster than I ever ran. That’s my goal.

–Tiffany Lott Hogan


Hogan attempted to qualify for the 2004 Summer Games in Athens. Then, tragedy struck: Hogan’s brother Damon died in a plane crash in May, just two months before the U.S. trials.

“It was a shock; like, why am I doing this?” Hogan recalled. “My brother just died. Why am I being an athlete?

“It took me a week to realize I had trained my whole life for this, and I wasn’t going to let this go. It takes a long time to accomplish things you really want, and I continued to push forward.”

Hogan took the lead going into the final event of the heptathlon, the 800-meter run — her worst event, she readily admits.

“It was much different than in 2000; I was in third place then, and coming down the home stretch, I knew that I had lost the chance,” Hogan said. “This time going down the home stretch, I knew I had made it.

“It was a much more enjoyable race.”

Hogan was on pace for a top-10 finish in Athens. Her high jump mark was shaky, but she put up a season-high in the shot put.

Then came the 200-meter dash.

“They started the race before I was ready,” she said. “To have them just leave me in the blocks and seeing my competitors run off, that was a very emotional race.

“I had anger, fear of not being able to score, and knowing I had trained all these years. The starter messed up my race.”

Courtesy photo: Tiffany Lott Hogan
Courtesy photo: Tiffany Lott Hogan

She was added to a lane a few heats later, but the damage was done. She finished 20th in the Olympics.

“At first, I look back with a little bit of regret,” Hogan said. “But I scored pretty well.”

Her dream accomplished, Hogan moved on to coaching. She’s currently an assistant track coach at Weber State.

“I love coaching,” she said. “It’s so enjoyable, to train kids to run faster than I ever ran. That’s my goal.”

After all that she went through, was Hogan’s Olympic journey worth it?

“I think it was,” she said. “It was worth it.”

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