Eric Holt: 29-year-old runner lives in his parents’ care – now aiming for a place in the Olympics

American middle distance runner Eric Holt opened up about his difficult financial situation after running second in the 1,500 meters in a race in New York in June.

Holt has the fifth-fastest time in the 1,500 meters for the United States this season. In the 800 meters, which he holds as his main distance, he aims for a place at the Paris Summer Olympics starting in July.

The Olympic qualifiers for USA track and field athletes began last Friday, and Thursday is the first round of the men’s 800 meters. The final will be run on Sunday.

In New York, Holt ran 1500 meters with a time of 3:34.05, with which he lost to the 2022 world champion over the same distance Jake Wightmanille by only four hundredths.

Despite the resulting success, Holt’s financial situation is unstable to say the least. As an unsponsored runner, he has to pay for everything himself, from running equipment to maintenance and upkeep of his body.

“I don’t make money from sports, I lose it,” he told a reporter in New York.

The 29-year-old runner says he lives with his parents. His girlfriend has had to get used to the fact that when the couple goes out to eat, she is repeatedly the one paying.

Holtin the story as an athlete is unusual. While still in high school, he was ranked among the top in his state, but after moving to university, the runner’s development began to wane.

After finishing university, professional athletics clubs were not interested in Holt, and he had to start working normally. However, Holt’s dream of a professional career as a runner did not die out. Among other things, in addition to working night shifts in the psychiatric department, the American continued to train regularly.

A runner working at night often had to train after shifts that stretched to 13 hours.

Holt recorded his training results on the Strava service, where the coach of the Empire Elite Track Club was interested in his peculiar training calendar John Trautmann found a runner and asked him to join the club.

Empire Elite is a non-profit organization. According to Holt, all the club’s athletes have to pay for the necessary equipment out of their own pocket, just like him.

With time and persuasion, Holt agreed to stop working and focus full-time on developing as an athlete.

Leaving salaried work meant moving back to the care of the parents. In addition to providing a home, the runner’s parents pay for his food and phone bill. Holt also goes to training in his parents’ car.

What make Holt continue his unconventional life even at the risk of being ridiculed?

Behind everything is the runner’s dream of becoming a professional athlete.

“Making a living wage for what I love sounds too good to be true,” Holt told the AP news agency.

“I’m gambling for myself and my life that one day I’ll become a professional,” he says.

The likely gap between Holt, who is eyeing Olympic status, and becoming a professional is his age. It can be difficult for an athlete who has tasted success in his thirties to get enough interest from professional clubs and sponsors.

However, Holt has told For the Washington Post believing that a place on the Olympic team could guarantee him a contract with a shoe sponsor.

“I only started to be good at the age of 29. I still want to show people that if you want something bad enough, anything can happen,” the runner said after his run in New York.

Despite the difficulties, Holt also sees the good in his situation.

“At first I was ashamed of living with my parents. However, my father is already in his seventies, and I’m happy to be able to spend time with him,” she says.

The runner is also happy about the support he received from his girlfriend. Holt wants to make sure this one doesn’t go empty-handed either.

“When I get a sponsorship deal, I’ll pay for our dining out,” a grateful Holt promises.