Conclusion

Mr. Jordan: Thank you very, very much for this. This is beautiful. I'll treasure it. Jesse Owens was one of the greats of all times, not only as an athlete but also as a man — a true champion, a true champion! Thank you very, very much.

Sri Chinmoy: And it is my honour to offer you this trophy as well. As I said before, as an athlete I am just a tiny flame, a feeble flame, and you are like the sun. So the flame is offering something to the sun and becoming inseparably one with the sun.

Mr. Jordan: Thank you very, very much. Thank you so much. That's beautiful. I really appreciate that. What a beautiful, beautiful trophy. I shall share this with everybody — with my wife, my children, my grandchildren and all my treasured friends. I do appreciate that very much.

Sri Chinmoy: I have composed a song about you that my students would like to sing.

(Singers sing the song dedicated to Payton Jordan)

Mr. Jordan: Thank you very, very, very much. Thank you. That was lovely, beautiful. What can I say? It is awfully nice of you to take the time to do something so thoughtful and so kind. It's a beautiful award, a beautiful thought and a beautiful song. As you say, you don't retire: you just step in another direction and do new, exciting things, face new challenges and new opportunities. That's what I plan to do. This is a special moment. On Tuesday I retired after forty-one years of actively coaching, and now I have a few years when I'm going to do some things on my own time, go off in directions of my own interest, share more with people that I enjoy being with and enjoy the world around me.

Sri Chinmoy: You are a river flowing continuously and carrying all those who want to swim towards the sea. All the champions in the making that you are teaching are swimming in the river, and you are carrying them to the sea.

Mr. Jordan: Thank you, thank you. You speak of champions in the making. But everybody that does anything is a champion. And when they can feel proud of what they do, that's the most important thing in our teaching.

Sri Chinmoy: Your self-giving is making everybody rich, richer and richest.

Mr. Jordan: I don't do much, but I get richer every day by things other people do around me. So I share everything and I enjoy everything. Thank you so much. It's been a special day. I do hope you will come back again.

Sri Chinmoy: I am deeply moved by your invitation, and I am looking forward to seeing you in Puerto Rico.

Mr. Jordan: I will plan to be there if everything goes right. Thank you so much.