Symmonds asks Paris Hilton to track trials

EUGENE, Ore. Hanging out with Nick Symmonds should be more than a twice-a-year occurance. But for two guys living on opposite coasts, with totally divergent lifestyles, that unfortunately isnt realistic.

Model Olympian: Nick Symmonds

Courtesy of Nick Symmonds

Courtesy of Nick Symmonds

Courtesy of Nick Symmonds

Courtesy of Nick Symmonds

Courtesy of Nick Symmonds

So, you make the most of the opportunities when presented. The last time we connected was in September when he was in New York for the Fifth Avenue Mile. Needless to say, a lot of good tales can gestate over a nine month period.

With the Willamette River as a backdrop this afternoon before the Prefontaine Classic, we caught up on everything all manner of topics outside the Valley River Inn.

I asked him how the fishing has been and heard all about the 20-pound king salmon he pulled out of the McKenzie River the other day -- the first of his life -- and the steelhead trout he will target on Tuesday.

When the! convers ation switched to the pursuit of prospective females, I paid particular attention. While most runners today Nick included wouldnt mind switching places with David Rudisha, most bachelors wouldnt object to being Nick Symmonds.

In the looks department, this dude is the Brad Pitt of track and field.

Nick proceeds to tell me that he isnt dating anyone but dangles out there that he had recently asked someone out. So I asked who the lucky lady was.

He says Paris Hilton.

After collecting myself from the projectile Gatorade spraying from my nose, I incredulously asked if he was yanking my chain. He assured me that he was not.

Im recently single and living a tough life, he said. I travel a lot, and dating in a college town like Eugene is a tough prospect. When youre in college, youre in the center of activity. When youre 28 in a county with 15-percent unemployment, most of the young, eligible women leave to find jobs. In my professional life, Im reaching as high as I can go. In my personal life, I wanted to do the same thing, reach for the gold medal. Can you do much better than Paris Hilton?

The list of questions flooded my mind in biblical proportions, beginning simply with how the heck did he get Paris Hiltons contact info? I mean, are track athletes that connected?

He tells me that he doesnt have Paris digits, but instead sought permission from her father, Richard Hilton, to invite her to accompany him to the Olympic Trials in a few weeks and the Games later this summer.

In this age of Tweeting at the honeys, did you seriously ask Paris Hiltons father for permission to go on a date? I asked.

Im active in social media but I felt like going back to my roots a little b! it, he s aid. Im a kid from Boise, Idaho. I grew up on a farm. I was raised Catholic and went to a Catholic high school, and if you wanted to take a girl out, you asked her dad. Any guy could throw a Tweet at Paris. I wanted to do a formal introduction and ask if it was alright to ask her to the Olympic Trials.

Dont get me wrong, Nick is a helluva nice guy, but I still wasnt buying this.

Then he handed me his iPhone, and on the screen is a letter that he sent to Mr. Hilton.

In this letter, Nick politely introduces himself, explaining that he is the four-time (and counting) national champion in the 800m, a business entrepreneur who co-owns a franchise of tanning salons in Eugene, and an activist for track athletes wanting to procure and display multiple corporate sponsorships on their uniforms.

And then he popped the question, asking him if it was okay to ask Paris to the Trials and Olympics. This is what he wrote:

I am extremely impressed with Paris entrepreneurial brilliance and find her to be phenomenally attractive and would be honored to meet her. Being a small-town guy from Boise, Idaho I felt the best way to extend this invitation was by first speaking with you, her father.

Channeling my inner Phil Rizzuto, my reaction was Holy cow, this is for real!

After busting his chops about which body part he was willing to rent her, I asked, Seriously Nick, why Paris Hilton? Havent you watched her TV shows? Its some of the most vapid programming ever. I mean, you got a damn degree in biochemistry!

Say what you want to about her programming, you cant deny that the Hilton family and specifically Paris have done a pretty incredible job, he said. Whether she learned this from her folks or just trial and error, she understands business and understands getting her name out there to build a brand. As a guy who is working to develop his own brand, I think I can learn something from her about how it works. Maybe I could teach her something about biochem! istry wh ile Im at it.

So what did Mr. Hilton say?

Getty Images

Will Paris Hilton accompany Nick Symmonds to the Olympic Trials in three weeks?

Apparently his personal assistant received my email and passed it along to him, he said, showing me another confirmation email. Obviously, Rick Hilton as a responsible dad might want to look into my background a little and see what I am all about. With his thumbs up, who knows? We might be able to get something going.

What if you get an email from Paris and she says shes in. Do you know what kind of media blitz would go down in this town? Arent you worried about the distractions?

My business partner, coach, and best friend Sam Lapray is the COO of Tracktown2012, he explained. I know I could call up Sam in a second and say, Sam, the Hiltons are coming to town, Could you help me make them feel welcome? And he would bend over backwards to make sure we did that.

Look, my ultimate goal is to win a medal in London and nothing is going to get in the way of that. Bless her heart but not even Paris Hilton is going to get in the way of this dream of mine. If I have the time and she has the time, I would love to take her out.

Three weeks before the Trials, do you really want to open yourself up to being labeled the Kris Humphries of the Olympic world? I asked.

Regardless, Im still going to be a good track runner, he said. Ive still won four national titles and Im going to try to win my fifth in three weeks. Whether Im catching giant fish or asking beautiful socialites out on dates, its just a different part of who Nick Symmonds is.

Arent you worried about scaring off any prospective normal women? I pressed.

Just because you dont have seven million Twitter followers doesnt mean youre not a talented, beautiful creature also, he sa! id. Its not just the Paris Hilton-types that I am attracted to. I just think she and I would have a lot in common.

So what if Paris says no, or if you never hear back from her or Mr. Hilton? I asked.

Thats always the risk you take, he said. But without great risk youre never going to get great reward.

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