Do you/have you ever 'known' any Olympic athletes??

[Virgo10]

My Husband! He got to go but not compete. Here's a story about him in the Boston University Hall of Fame website:
My DH

Back in the mid 80's we had been dating for about 2 years when he decided to go to the National Masters games. This is sort of like the Olympics for people over 30. Well I decided to go with him. It was being held in Eugene Oregon and I had never been to the west coast.

I have to tell you that he loves to kid people. Sometimes I think the only reason he married me is because I am so gullible! He had told me that he was in the 1956 Olympics and because of a scandal was not allowed to compete in his event, the Hammer Throw. Seems the Boston Globe wanted him to write stories about what was going on in Australia. The Track and Field coach wanted to write those stories and filed a complaint with the Olympic committee saying that my DH was getting paid for these stories, a big No No and he wasn't getting paid!

By the time the committee researched what was REALLY going on and made a decision that my DH was innocent, his event had already happened.

So getting back to our trip to the Masters events, I was pretty sure he was kidding me about being in the Olympics. I mean, really, how many people have you met that took part in that! So we get to Oregon and go to the event. He goes to sign up for things and I'm standing alone and I hear people talking about him. Hey there's Cliff. He was in the Olympics! Good grief, he ended up being followed around by an entourage most of the time we were there. He had his own groupies!

That was a truly awesome trip.

 

[goofy4tink]

Well, our town has Nikki Stone, aerial skier, and we almost had a luger this time around with Ashley Hayden, and our family knows one of the new Nordic combined kids..Brett Camerota (I used to babysit his dad..I'm way old!!!)

 

[SRUAlmn]

WOW! These are so cool Anyone else?

 

[AnaheimGirl]

My friend's dad medaled in track and field in the 60's. Of course, I didn't know him when he was an Olympian, only later.

I met a couple of guys on the 1984 US water polo team, through the same friend, but didn't really "know" them.

 

[kpm76]

Sara DeCosta from the gold medal winning women's hockey team...she's a few years younger than me but we went to the same high school and college and were on the same softball team for a few years.....

 

[Talking Hands]

My Nanny's son was part of the Japanese track and field team in his 20s. He was older than I so he would be in his 60s now. I used to play with him and his brother as a preschooler when we lived in Tokyo, Japan. Interestingly the area I lived in became the Olympic Village when it was held in Japan.

 

[princessariel]

My cousin, Bill Renton was in the winter olympics the year it was at Lake Placid, NY. That must be over 25 years ago. He raced the bobsled that said "U.S.NAVY" on it. His team didn't do real well but it was exciting.

 

[MELISAZACK]

Yes!!! I know Derek Parra, Jennifer Rodriguez her husband KC and the new and famous Chad Hedricks....Grew up In-line skating with them years ago when they were just average skaters... Derek use to be right here from Dover Del.... I must say it is so nice to see them all switch over and do so well.

 

[jim and meesie]

My son's fifth grade teacher (this year) went to the Olympics in 1994 I believe. He's such a "luger" (the kids love that one). I think at his peak he and his partner were 10th in the world!!! He's definitely a Gold Medal teacher. I also taught Todd Eldredge and his brother to swim when he was maybe 6-7. I also waitressed at his aunt and uncle's restaurant that same summer.

Oh, although I don't know her, Sarah Parsons (such a cutie, the youngest woman on the woman's hockey team this year) lives right nearby. She graduated from a rival school to my son's and will be going to the same college as him next year (she took the year off for the Olympics).

 

[barbeml]

I was friends with Carl Lewis in Jr. High and HS in Willingboro NJ. His Mom Evelyn was my gym teacher. A VERY nice family. Back in the day, Carl was a very low-key and humble fellow.

 

[DisneyGirl421]

I don't KNOW him know him, but I do know that one of the Men's Bobsled team pusher is from my town... and one of my teachers is good friends with him.

 

[KelNottAt]

My DH is friends with the daughter of the late Brownie Ross. He ran for the track & field events in the '56 Olympics (I think).

I don't actually KNOW him, but I have MET Mike Eruzione. He was captain of the US hockey team in 1980, the year we won the gold.

 

[ugadog99]

Yes, I used to live next door to two weight lifters. I remember one time an Olympic official came by looking for them. They weren't home at the time.

 

[Louise-Montreal]

I knew Waneek Horn- she was the captain of the Canadian women's water polo team. She went to the high school where I taught and I taught her sister. Also knew a guy called Martin who was on the Canadian boblsed team years ago.

 

[liamsaunt]

I work in the same office as Mike Eruzione!

 

[JerseyJanice]

My first cousin, Richard Shanko, was in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He was a weightlifter. I don't remember what weight class, though.

He finished fifth (no medal, alas) in his division. He thought he had a shot at a bronze or so because the Russians were not in those games.

 

[mom2rb]

I used to work for Jim Culhane. He was on the '68 and '72 gymnastics teams. He is the oldest american gymnast to make the Olympics. My boss now use to be the head of the boy's program for the US Gymnastic Federation. We get Olympic athletes that come by for special events. We have had Mary Lou Retton, Sevetlana Bogenskia, Todd Thorton, ect.. So far everyone I have met has been very nice.

 

[Caradana]

Most of the 2004 Men's Swimming team, some of the Women's, and we know a lot of up-and-comers who will contest in 2008. Fiance is a sportswriter for the main swimming magazine in the US.

 

[debaudrn]

Hey KPM76 something else in common! Sara DeCosta (women's hockey goalie). Her dad installed and maintains our sprinkler system. I have many of her hockey sticks in my garage!!!

 

[Kae]

A guy from DH class was on the kayking(sp?0team form the year it was Bocotted Matt something. And Lindsey Benko-swimmer is from my town & I used to Wax & manicure her, her mother & sister.

Kae