Track community remembers Graham for his intimidating size and immense talent

TORONTO (CP) - At six foot four and packing a rock-hard physique, Mark Graham cast an imposing shadow when he stepped onto the track.

But Olympic teammates who knew Graham best say the sprinter had a smile that matched his massive frame, and his intimidating physical stature belied an easygoing demeanour.

Graham, who grew up in Hamilton, joined the military after his track career and was based at CFB Petawawa. A private, Graham was killed and more than 30 others wounded Monday in Afghanistan as two U.S. aircraft accidentally opened fire on Canadians during a strafing run. He was 33.

"He was a really intimidating figure, but he was also so giving with his smile," Olympic teammate Byron Goodwin said from Winnipeg. "You would see this giant, and you would think, oh my God, he's going to tear me apart. But then he flashed his smile and it would totally put you at ease."

Graham was a member of Canada's 4x400-metre relay team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, where he, Goodwin, Mark Jackson, Freddie Williams and Anthony Wilson finished 13th.

Graham also won a silver medal at the 1993 and 1994 Canadian championships.

"He was a great competitor and you knew if you were going to beat him you had to be on that day," said Goodwin, who beat Graham at the '94 national championships. "I certainly got handed my share of losses by him."

Canada's track community was shocked and saddened as news spread of his death Tuesday.

Many recalled an athlete who was loaded with talent - his personal best time of 46.16 seconds he ran while still a junior ranks him 19th on Canada's all-time senior list in the 400. But he was plagued by injuries, which eventually cut short his promising career in 1994.

"Many of us are going back and looking at our scrapbooks right now and thinking of all the good times we had with him," said Peter Ogilvie, who ran on Canada's 4x100 team in Barcelona, and is now the executive director of Athletics Alberta. "It's truly a sad story, he's a hero not only for the Canadian forces, but the athletics community will be in mourning for quite a while as well."

Canadian distance veteran Kevin Sullivan grew up 20 minutes down the road from Graham in Brantford, Ont., and got to know the sprinter when the two were budding Ontario high school stars. They went on to represent Canada on several national teams together including the 1993 world indoor championships and 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria.

"He was this massive human being, if you wanted a perfect physical specimen as an athlete, he's the guy you would point at," Sullivan said from Amsterdam, where he's training for the upcoming IAAF World Cup. "But despite what some people would think of as an intimidating presence, he was a really down-to-earth, kind person, got along well with everybody. Everybody genuinely liked him and got along well with him."

Graham Hood ran the 1,500 for Canada at the Barcelona Olympics, but growing up in Burlington, Ont., had the misfortune of racing against Graham in high school relays.

"He kicked my butt pretty soundly, I remember him flying by me in the relay," Hood said, laughing. "He was a very talented athlete, I remember being extremely intimidated by him as a small kid in high school. He was quite a physical specimen, just a massive towering guy with a ton of ability."

John Cannon was Canada's relays coach at the Barcelona Olympics and went on to coach Graham in Calgary for a year after Barcelona. In an event where you seldom see a runner over six feet tall, let alone packing the football physique that Graham did, his size alone, remembers Cannon, drew widespread attention.

In an interview from Calgary, Cannon remembers the first day of training in Barcelona. Graham was jogging shirtless under the scorching 35 C sun, and Cannon was standing looking on with John Smith, who at that time was the coach at USC and is still well known in international track.

"John said to me, 'I'll give that guy a full scholarship.' I said, 'You don't even know what he runs.' And he said, 'I don't care. With a body and physique like that, he can run whatever he wants,"' Cannon recalled laughing.

Glenroy Gilbert ran on the 4x100 team in Barcelona, and went on to win Olympic gold as part of the famous 4x100 at the Atlanta Games four years later. Gilbert said Graham's talents weren't just on the track. He remembered Graham blowing away his teammates with his performance at "rookie night" in Barcelona.

"He could also sing, he had an amazing singing voice," said Gilbert, who's now the relays coach for Athletics Canada.

Following the 1992 Olympics, Graham attended the University of Nebraska on a track and field scholarship before continuing his collegiate career at Kent State University in Ohio.

The Canadian Olympic Committee praised Graham as "a courageous patriot and an outstanding athlete."

"We are extremely saddened to learn of the passing of Mark Graham," COC president Michael Chambers said in a statement. "As an Olympian and as a private in the military, Mark dedicated his life to representing Canada.

"He will forever be remembered as a courageous patriot and an outstanding athlete. He will be dearly missed."

"Mark Graham was a man of great character who was an excellent role model during his athletic career," Jackson said in a statement. "While this is an extremely difficult time for his family and friends, we can take comfort in knowing that Mark took great pride in serving his country and that he died doing what he felt was right. We are all deeply proud of him and all that he accomplished."

Graham was the oldest of three brothers, one of whom has also joined the military.

He leaves a young daughter. He was not married.