MARBLEHEAD, Mass. -- The Marblehead Fire Department could soon be landing a golden candidate.
Kayla Harrison, America's first judo gold medalist, is a town resident who hopes to return from flipping competition in London to fighting fires at home.
Friends gathered to watch yesterday as Harrison defeated Great Britain's Gemma Gibbons to capture the Olympic gold medal in the women's under 78-kilogram division. While news of the victory was well known, her friends rejoiced.
"I couldn't go on with the day if I didn't know what happened," said friend Matthew Christensen. "I've been so nervous since the beginning of this. Every single match she did was impressive."
Christensen, a Marblehead firefighter who works alongside Harrison's fiance Aaron Handy, hosted an Olympics viewing party at his house. Christensen's wife, Laura, decked the living room in posters. A banner supporting Harrison was also hoisted outside the town's fire house, where town Fire Chief Jason Gilliland said Harrison scored well on the civil service test and took the required EMT class, but she still must pass her state certification.
"It's not a foregone conclusion, but she's certainly in contention" to be hired, Gilliland said.
Friends said yesterday they were sure Harrison was focused on one job -- winning the gold.
"We were definitely nervous," said Laura Christensen. "It was streamed online so my three kids, my husband and I were huddled around the laptop at lunch. We just started screaming and cheering. It was great."
Copyright 2012 - Boston Herald
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
