Rhode Island athlete meets track and field legend in Brazil

Ondrej Honka worked at the Olympics this summer.
Ondrej Honka worked at the Olympics this summer. | File photo
Ondrej Honka, a senior pole vaulter from Rhode Island, recently met track and field legends in Rio de Janeiro at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Honka worked at the Olympics this summer, where he met former triple jump world record holder Willie Banks.

Banks jointed the USA Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1999. For a decade he had the world record for the triple jump, measuring at 17.97 meters. In the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics, Banks competed in five different world championship events. He placed sixth in triple jumps for both years.

Honka met the legend at a local metro station while he was waiting in line.

"We exchanged pins, chatted for a while and took a picture," Honka said. "It's incredible how small the world is. One has to keep their eyes open."