Portsmouth Track Star Merritt Takes a Look Back

Published by PilotOnline on December 28, 2014

When track fans worldwide think of the 400 meters, they think of LaShawn Merritt.

And ever since his victory at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, he's become one of only a handful of faces in track and field.

Just not in Hampton Roads.

When the 28-year-old sprinter from Portsmouth recently walked into Panera Bread, there were no whispers, no fingers pointing at the international star in the restaurant. He went and ordered his food and picked it up with no fanfare, no autographs and no selfies.

"To come through here and nobody notices me, I don't even look for it," said Merritt, wearing a yellow athletic top, black sweats and black-and-red Nike sneakers. "I just take it for what it is."

But there are many places where Merritt gets noticed. He recently attended an Atlanta Hawks basketball game.

"I was at the concession stand and people were taking pictures of me and saying, 'Machine, Machine,' " he said about his new nickname. "They don't call me that here. But in bigger markets, they know who I am."