Eastern Michigan Athletics
Legend. Leader. Trailblazer.: Jamie Nieto
6/4/2020 1:53:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Engagement
Nieto is a two-time Olympian and former professional Track and Field Athlete
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Jamie Nieto, born in Seattle, Wash., was raised as an only child in a single-parent home in Sacramento, Calif.. Nieto is an actor, two-time Olympian, and former professional Track and Field Athlete. Nieto is a two-time Olympic finalist and was ranked in the top-10 in the world on more than one occasion.
After high school, Nieto attended Sacramento City College and Eastern Michigan University where he earned a full scholarship in athletics. Nieto is a four-time National Champion, three-time World Champ Team Member, three-time Pan Am Team Member, three-time All American, indoor and outdoor school record holder, and was inducted into Eastern Michigan's Hall Of Fame in 2012.
Nieto's professional career as a High Jumper has taken him to over 35 different countries around the world. Nieto has been ranked in the top-10 in the nation by United States Track and Field since 1998.
After retiring in 2013 Nieto started coaching at UCLA and then University of Southern California, but decided to pursue his childhood love for movies, acting, producing, and writing. Nieto started vigorously working on his craft in 2007, by doing shorts films, student films, commercials, features and taking acting classes.
Below is a quick question-and-answer that EMUEagles.com had with Nieto.
As we celebrate and focus on leaders, how would you consider yourself a leader?
I would hope that I could lead by example in doing my best to defy the odds and need the best person I can be.
Who inspired you to become the individual you are?
I had many inspirations that helped me to be the person I am today. My mother for her strength, Charles Austin (HJ AR holder) for his talent and determination, Barack Obama for his leadership.
What message would you send to current student-athletes regarding leadership?
When it comes to leadership I always believed that leaders are not the ones with the most followers, they are the ones that cause the most to lead.
After high school, Nieto attended Sacramento City College and Eastern Michigan University where he earned a full scholarship in athletics. Nieto is a four-time National Champion, three-time World Champ Team Member, three-time Pan Am Team Member, three-time All American, indoor and outdoor school record holder, and was inducted into Eastern Michigan's Hall Of Fame in 2012.
Nieto's professional career as a High Jumper has taken him to over 35 different countries around the world. Nieto has been ranked in the top-10 in the nation by United States Track and Field since 1998.
After retiring in 2013 Nieto started coaching at UCLA and then University of Southern California, but decided to pursue his childhood love for movies, acting, producing, and writing. Nieto started vigorously working on his craft in 2007, by doing shorts films, student films, commercials, features and taking acting classes.
Below is a quick question-and-answer that EMUEagles.com had with Nieto.
As we celebrate and focus on leaders, how would you consider yourself a leader?
I would hope that I could lead by example in doing my best to defy the odds and need the best person I can be.
Who inspired you to become the individual you are?
I had many inspirations that helped me to be the person I am today. My mother for her strength, Charles Austin (HJ AR holder) for his talent and determination, Barack Obama for his leadership.
What message would you send to current student-athletes regarding leadership?
When it comes to leadership I always believed that leaders are not the ones with the most followers, they are the ones that cause the most to lead.
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