“A lot of people when they go out and do things [after an injury] have this vengeance. It’s always like, ‘I’m doing it for the people who counted me out,’ or ‘I’m doing it for revenge.’ But I’m doing it for the people who say I can do it because I have such an overwhelming amount of people who have been supportive and have known I can come back. It’s so cool to prove them right.”

It’s not every day that an athlete disappears from racing for nearly three years—undergoes multiple surgeries, leaves their training group, and then returns to the track to drop a 1:44 in their first 800m back. But that’s exactly what Donavan Brazier just did.

The former world champion, American record holder, and longtime face of U.S. middle-distance running made a stunning comeback in Nashville this past weekend—not just running well, but dominating the field and flashing the brilliance that once made him one of the most electrifying athletes in the sport.

If you’ve followed Donavan’s career, you know the road back has been anything but easy. He’s battled injuries, Achilles surgeries, a fractured tibia, bursitis—over 1,000 days without stepping onto a start line. He could have walked away. No one would have blamed him. But he didn’t.

Today, we dive into why. What kept him going? What was it like to toe the line again? And how does he see himself fitting into the most competitive U.S. 800m field in years?

We reflect on the highs, the lows, the what-ifs and look ahead at what’s next for both Donavan and the event he helped redefine. This is a story about resilience, patience, perspective—and the kind of raw talent that refuses to fade.

Host: Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠

Guest: Donavan Brazier | @donavanbrazier on Instagram

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