Long Beach athlete Bryshon Nellum (center, in all white) walks with the American flag at the closing ceremonies for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Bryshon Nellum—the sprinting superstar from Long Beach whose career was interrupted by gunfire four years ago—completed his comeback odyssey last night by walking with the American flag for the US Olympic Team at the Games’ closing ceremony in London.

The 23-year-old Nellum was chosen to be flag-bearer by his Olympic teammates.

“I’m humbled by this incredible privilege,” he said in a statement. “I’ll never forget these games.

Nellum had a spectacular track career at Poly and was developing into a world-class sprinter at USC under coach Ron Allice when he was shot three times in the legs on Halloween night 2008.  It took months for him to be able to walk again and it appeared doubtful he’d ever get his speed back. But after four years of pain and perseverance, Nellum has found himself in the thick of top-level international competition.

After running a personal best in the 400 meters at the Olympic trials earlier this summer, Nellum missed the final in the Olympic 400 meters by just three hundredths of a second. He then came back to run a strong opening leg in the 4 X 400 meter relay, surging at the end to give his teammates a chance to take the lead, which they took and kept until the last 80 meters.

A silver medal performance by the USA in the 4 X 400 is impressive this year, considering the many injuries that depleted this relay squad (one of Nellum’s relay teammates, Manteo Mitchell, ran in the semi-final with a broken leg and saved the USA’s medal opportunity).

Coach Allice was in London for the entire Games and had a special interest in Nellum’s success. “He is a very resilient young man,” said Allice. “Watching him here, I feel like a proud dad.”

Nellum’s silver medal was one of the 24 medals earned by USC athletes at the London Games, and one of several medals brought home from the Games by Long Beach area athletes.