Boys track preview: Father's sacrifice inspiring to Lake Brantley standout
USF signee Otniel Teixeira's father, Sebastian, was a runner from Brazil whose career was curtailed so he could take care of his family.
Lake Brantley track standout Otniel Teixeira is shown with his parents, Sebastian and Maria. (Joshua C. Cruey, Orlando Sentinel)
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By Buddy Collings, Orlando Sentinel
3:14 p.m. EST, February 23, 2012
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS — Lake Brantley track standout Otniel Teixeira is excited about the opportunities that could sprout from his trilingual family tree.
His father is Brazilian, his mother is from the Dominican Republic, and Teixeira was born in Miami, meaning the Patriots senior is eligible to represent three nations in competitions that could lead all the way to the Olympics.
But long before Teixeira realized his bloodlines open an array of options for his track career, he already was inspired by his father's story of untapped potential.
Sebastian Teixeira was one of Brazil's premier road racers when he moved to the land of opportunity as a 19-year-old. Sebastian, one of 18 brothers and sisters, was able to get a visa and plane fare to Connecticut because of his track talent.
