Chicago Olympic Hopeful Returns Home for Emotional Documentary Screening

Seconds Away, the award-winning documentary from director Benjamin Kegan, is a powerful and intimate portrait of ambition, resilience, and the fragile line between triumph and limitation.

The film follows Belgian-American middle-distance runner Peter Callahan as he pursues an Olympic qualifying time in the 1,500 meters—a goal measured not in miles, but in seconds. At the center of that pursuit is his longtime coach, Patrick McHugh, whose decades-long career shaping athletes is interrupted by a life-altering cancer diagnosis.

What begins as a story about elite competition evolves into something far more profound. As Callahan pushes toward a 3:35 Olympic standard, the film shifts focus to the relationship that sustains him—one built on trust, discipline, and belief—tested under the weight of illness, uncertainty, and time itself.

Blending immersive race footage with intimate vérité storytelling, Seconds Away captures the reality of professional track and field rarely seen on screen: the grind, the sacrifice, and the emotional cost of chasing a dream that offers no guarantees. As noted in coverage following its premiere, the film expands beyond sport into a deeply human narrative shaped by illness, delay, and the unpredictability of life .

Featuring appearances by Olympic athletes including Robby Andrews, Donn Cabral, and Nick Willis, the film situates Callahan’s journey within the broader landscape of elite competition—while never losing sight of the personal stakes at its core.

Director’s Statement — Benjamin Kegan
“We often speak of cancer using the language of sports—fighting, beating, winning. But what happens as we face our limits? This film lives in that space, where ambition and limitation meet—whether it’s one more lap or another round of treatment. What emerges is not just a sports story, but something more vulnerable and human.”

Festival & Screening Momentum
Seconds Away made its North American premiere at the Austin Film Festival in October 2025 and continues to build momentum through festival screenings and special events.

A featured screening will take place in the Chicago area on April 14, highlighting the film’s deep local roots, including Callahan’s Evanston upbringing and McHugh’s decades-long coaching legacy on the North Shore.

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