Ryan Talbot’s Team USA Dreams were Interrupted. So he Capitalized on his Next Opportunity and Grabbed a Medal on the Way.

Michigan State decathlete Ryan Talbot remembers the first time he was ready to be part of Team USA. He was picked to represent the United States in the Thorpe Cup in Dallas in July of 2022.
 
But things did not turn out as planned for Talbot. He suffered an unitmely minor ankle injury.
 
“I had all this gear just sitting in my room,” said Talbot. “I couldn’t wear it because I knew I had never represented the country. But I had all the gear. Just sitting there.”
 
But Talbot was going to get a second chance to be on Team USA. The 6-foot-6, 195-pound graduate student from Alto, Mich. has a bronze medal and team USA memories to last a lifetime after he was invited to compete with the U.S. team in the 2023 Pan-American games.
 
He finished third at the Pan-Am games in Santiago, Chile last October. Talbot knew he deserved to be at the Pan-Ams. But not even he expected to finish as high as he did at first.
 
“It’s always been a huge dream of mine,” said Talbot. “Such an honor to be able to represent your country like that on the world stage. It was a huge goal for me throughout my track career to be able to wear the Team USA jersey. I didn’t even think I was going to finish top three on the podium.”
 

Talbot scored 7,742 points at the Pan-Ams to finish third – just six points behind the silver medalist. But that is not the best score Talbot has ever posted at a decathlon. At the 2022 Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Talbot won by scoring 8,064 – a personal best that still stands.

Although Talbot was not sure he was going to make the podium, he maintained a calm mindset on one of the biggest stages.

“It all stems from the childish need inside everyone,” said Talbot. “Being able to go and play and have fun and enjoy life. The reason you do everything almost is because you’re trying to find some enjoyment, right? I don’t want to turn my career into something where I hate every time I compete because I’m upset about my performance or I’m putting pressure on myself where I feel fear and stress and anxiety.”

Talbot was the only athlete from Michigan State to attend the 2023 Pan-Am Games. This was a new experience for Talbot, as he’d never competed outside of the United States.

“The majority of people living in the Pan-Americas speak Spanish, so it was really fun to try and speak Spanish with them,” said Talbot. “It…