Clovis welcomes home and honors sprinter Jenna Prandini, its Olympic silver medalist

Over the past four years, Jenna Prandini, the Olympic silver medalist from Clovis, has been all over the world, running races in a long list of renowned cities, including Shanghai, Rome, Oslo and Stockholm.

And of course Tokyo, where three weeks ago Prandini won that medal with a stellar third leg on the United States’ 4 x 100 meter relay team.

But there is no place like home.

And Prandini got a chance to snuggle in the warm embrace of family, friends, fans and former teachers and classmates at Clovis High’s football game against Bakersfield at Lamonica Stadium on Friday, which was proclaimed Jenna Prandini Day by the city.

With that Olympic silver medal around her neck, the former Cougars sprint star hitched a ride into the stadium with Clovis cheerleaders on an antique fire truck, took part in the coin toss before the game, and was honored by her city and her alma mater in a ceremony at halftime.

“I loved every second of it,” Prandini said. “To be able to celebrate with all my family and old teachers and coaches and members of the community is incredible. To be able to be out here tonight with everyone is an honor.

“Just being able to spend time with everyone, I feel like I’m always out training and not able to be back in Clovis with everyone, so to be back here at my alma mater, at Clovis High, with my family, friends and coaches and all the kids out here has been amazing.”

Winning an Olympic medal, she said, was something she would dream about when she was a kid, something she would write about and draw in pictures in elementary school.

So the No. 1 question she has been asked since her return to California couldn’t be much of a surprise.

“I think everyone just wants to hold it,” she said, “and once they hold it, they tell me how heavy the medal is, which they are right.”

As part of the celebration, Clovis renamed part of Wrenwood Avenue, on the north side of the Clovis High campus, Jenna Prandini Drive.

“We’re all excited to have a two-time Olympian and for her to have earned a silver medal, there are not that many towns that can brag about that, to have a silver medal winner,” Clovis mayor Jose Flores said. “We have Merced up north (Madilyn “Bubba” Nickles in softball). We have Tulare down south (Richard Torrez Jr. in boxing). I’m sure those two towns are very proud of their Olympians and we’re very proud of Jenna here.

“We’ve known her ever since she was a young girl and competing here at Clovis High. Her father has been a cross country and track coach forever. We’ve known the family forever. They’re a family that Clovis has come to know and love. Her exploits on the track have made her that much more loved in our community.”

Prandini will resume training on Oct. 1 with an eye toward the World Athletics Championships in 2022 and eventually the next summer Olympics in Paris in 2024.

She didn’t know much of what was to happen on Friday. But she embraced every minute, every photo taken and every autograph signed.

“I knew a few minor details, but my sister and my family did a good job hiding everything else from me,” Prandini said. “Once I found out everything that was going on, it was really amazing and I’m thankful for all of Clovis Unified and the city of Clovis for doing that for me,”

This story was originally published August 27, 2021 at 11:22 PM with the headline "Clovis welcomes home and honors sprinter Jenna Prandini, its Olympic silver medalist."