Do you know any Olympians?

[JimMIA]

Funnily enough, tonight my mum met Michael Klim, a legendary Australian swimmer who competed in Atlanta, Sydney and Athens and won 6 medals and set world records. She was pretty starstruck!

Funny "starstruck" story.

Last year at the US Figure Skating Stars on Ice, one of DD's friends joined DD in the show. They were given actual official Stars On Ice jackets just like the stars wore, and of course they were all decked out in their most dazzling dresses and made up for the show. This friend's mom had on-ice seats and after rehearsals were done, DD's friend skated over to give her mom a hug. This occurred just as the first spectators were filing into Germain Arena.

The girl talked to mom for a few minutes and an elderly man came down out of the stands. He asked if she was one of the "Stars in the show." She was hesitant to answer, but her mom said yes -- and the man asked if she would come up into the stands and take a picture with his wife! The wife was a few rows up in the stands and apparently had some mobility issues. DD's friend said yes, put on her skate guards -- and to this day there is a little old lady in a retirement home over in Naples showing everyone her picture of she and the glamorous Star from Stars On Ice!

 

[rastahomie]

My stepbrother carried the Olympic torch for a few hundred yards leading up to the Atlanta Olympics.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I know some fencers who have been Olympians. I know one of the official team coaches this year.

 

[Happy_Haunt999]

My daughter's figure skating coach represented Sweden in the Vancouver Winter Olympics (2010). He was the Swedish Men's Champion for several years, but broke his back and switched to coaching. Great guy, great young coach.

Competitive figure skating is kind of a small community, and one of the cool things about it is that when you meet one of the real world-class skaters, they treat other skaters like family. DD has met a number of Olympic skaters, and not just casually. US Figure Skating has a camp every April and many of the instructors/group leaders are US champions and former Olympians. They spend 2 1/2 days in close contact, and they are really great with the kids.

In April 2015, DD performed in one of the Stars on Ice Shows, along with 29 other competitive skaters of mid to high level. They spent the entire afternoon watching the stars rehearse and practice, and then got to speak to each one, take pictures, get autographs signed, etc. DD got her skates signed by Merle Davis, Evan Lysacek, and Scottish ice dancer John Kerr. (John coaches at a local rink and we know him pretty well.) He and his sister Sinead represented the UK in Vancouver. The other Stars in Stars on Ice that night were Merle Davis and Charlie White, Tanith Belbin (now married to Charlie White) and Ben Agosto, Evan Lysacek, Patrick Chan, Ekaterina Gordeeva, Kimmie Meisner, Ryan Bradley, and Joannie Rochette. The biggest applause of the evening was for...Sinead and John Kerr, when Sinead carried John the entire length of the ice.

Ashley Wagner skates occasionally at our rink, so the girls all know her and are big fans. And her BFF Adam Rippon was one of the instructors at Components Camp.

So your daughter is coached by Adrian Schultheiss? I don't know him personally, but was at the 2010 games cheering on my friends and former training mates that medaled. It was awesome!

Stars on Ice normally lets the local skaters in that are doing the intermission performance like 3 hours ahead of the start of the show, so it's interesting that they let the ones at your show in all afternoon. I have done VIP several years as friend of cast members and we're let in same time but have more access, but it's all around a fun time. That's really cool that your daughter got to experience that!

 

[Pixiedustaway]

My grandfather won a bronze in track in the '24 Paris Olympics. Somehow my family ended up with custody of the medal. It was a very popular show and tell during Olympic years.

Every spring our elementary school trained for an annual marathon. A 2x long distance medalist would come every year to warm them. He was dedicated, coming 3 times a week for 2 months.

An Olympian cycling family's children swam on our little summer league team.

My daughter is a gold medalist in swimming and all around gymnastics in Special Olympics

That's so awesome. Good for her!!!

 

[JimMIA]

So your daughter is coached by Adrian Schultheiss? I don't know him personally, but was at the 2010 games cheering on my friends and former training mates that medaled. It was awesome!

Yes, Adrian.

Stars on Ice normally lets the local skaters in that are doing the intermission performance like 3 hours ahead of the start of the show, so it's interesting that they let the ones at your show in all afternoon.

Right, we went in at 4:30, and the show started at 7:30.

But in 2015, our girls didn't skate during intermission; they actually performed in the show. They skated to Shaun Mendez' "Something Big," which led into a Stars group number to "Stompa." There is a video somewhere on YouTube taken by one of the girls dads, but I couldn't find it.

Anyway, great experience.

 

[Lsdolphin]

My nephew represented Maryland at the first Special Olympics Nationals held in Ames Iowa. He competed in aquatics events and came home 3 medals...a Gold, a Silver and a Bronze. He participated in Special Olympics up until he passed away suddenly totally unenexpectedly several months ago at 34 years of age. So, Yes! I know an Olympian! I raised him from the time he was 7 and I will love and miss him every day for the rest of my life.

 

[Happy_Haunt999]

Yes, Adrian.

Right, we went in at 4:30, and the show started at 7:30.

But in 2015, our girls didn't skate during intermission; they actually performed in the show. They skated to Shaun Mendez' "Something Big," which led into a Stars group number to "Stompa." There is a video somewhere on YouTube taken by one of the girls dads, but I couldn't find it.

Anyway, great experience.

Yes, I know it was at the beginning of the 2nd half as it always is, when you come back from intermission, I'm at least at one of the shows each year. And that's great and I'm glad she got that experience!

 

[Sabeking]

I do. I know Marion Jones and CJ Hunter. I was CJ's son's teacher and then later a tutor for him. Sadly, they both used performance enhancing drugs and I believe they may have been stripped of their metals.

 

[JimMIA]

My grandfather won a bronze in track in the '24 Paris Olympics. Somehow my family ended up with custody of the medal. It was a very popular show and tell during Olympic years.

Wow! That was the Olympic Games that the movie "Chariots of Fire" was about!

 

[JimMIA]

Dictionary definition of "athlete:"
Full Definition of athlete

1. : a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina

I've been an athlete all my life (football, baseball in my youth, marathons and bicycling in middle age), and my daughter is a high-level competitive figure skater.

But having volunteered with Special Olympics and coordinating part of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, I can tell you that there is no finer example of "athlete" than a Special Olympics athlete! They embody everything that is good about athletics, none of the bad, and they teach us incredible things about sport...and ourselves. They are also the definition of "inspiration."

 

[Pugsly]

I Crossfit with a guy who was on the gold-medal sled hockey team in 2014. Nice guy!

 

[Lsdolphin]

Dictionary definition of "athlete:"
Full Definition of athlete

1. : a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina

I've been an athlete all my life (football, baseball in my youth, marathons and bicycling in middle age), and my daughter is a high-level competitive figure skater.

But having volunteered with Special Olympics and coordinating part of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, I can tell you that there is no finer example of "athlete" than a Special Olympics athlete! They embody everything that is good about athletics, none of the bad, and they teach us incredible things about sport...and ourselves. They are also the definition of "inspiration."

Thank you for this!

 

[Jeafl]

Yes! A friend of my son's from track is going to be in the Olympics this year!! His name is Evan Jager and he will be running the steeplechase. He's a super nice kid, so we're really excited to see how he does.

 

[clori]

It doesn't really count but today we went to a meet and greet at a local library and met 3 Olympians: 1994 Olympic Silver medalist Nancy Kerrigan(figure skating), two-time ice hockey medalist Courtney Kennedy, and Olympic Bronze Medalist Andrew Weaver (cycling). It was nice getting to touch and wear real Olympic medals even if they were silver and bronze.

My dd is a figure skater but not a real competitive level. She skates on a high school competition team which started last year and has been talked into starting the testing so starting at the bottom at the pre preliminary level. We don't have a lot of freestyle ice time so many high school skaters know each other just from being at the rink. We talked to Nancy Kerrigan about how dd used to skate in the same program where Nancy Kerrigan started only Nancy Kerrigan was one of the original skaters at the program and dd was one of the last skaters (program is no longer around). Nancy Kerrigan knows dd's coach since she was around when Nancy was younger and now we all live in the same general area. Nancy Kerrigan talked about trying your best but also making time for friends. Courtney Kenned talked about trying different things and not expecting to be perfect at everything and how it is okay to have fun even when it isn't your best talent and how important teamwork is. Andrew Weaver talked about how much he enjoys cycling and still rides plus brought a bike he used to use.

We went to the National Skating Exhibition when it was in Boston right at the end of the nationals. One of the junior team members used to skate with dd in group lessons - not the same level but the same freeskate time. DD also knew a few of the kids skating to pick up the flowers from the Skating Club of Boston. We were pleasantly surprised to see a skater we knew being announced as a Special Olympian skater who skates at our home rink frequently the same time as my dd. Nancy Kerrigan signed dd's green US Figure Skating tshirt that she got when it was thrown during the exhibition. One thing I found I really like about the high school program is while the kids are from various schools and represent their own high schools other they are all so friendly to each other.

 

[jdb in AZ]

I knew Mike Schlappi, who was a gold medalist for the U.S. wheelchair basketball team at the Korea Para-Olympics way back when. He's been on two world-champion teams and won at least four Olympic medals. Great guy.

 

[cords]

Dictionary definition of "athlete:"
Full Definition of athlete

1. : a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina

I've been an athlete all my life (football, baseball in my youth, marathons and bicycling in middle age), and my daughter is a high-level competitive figure skater.

But having volunteered with Special Olympics and coordinating part of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, I can tell you that there is no finer example of "athlete" than a Special Olympics athlete! They embody everything that is good about athletics, none of the bad, and they teach us incredible things about sport...and ourselves. They are also the definition of "inspiration."

That is so nice! Thank you from all the Special Olympians I know.

Edited to add:

My daughter with the Sochi Torch on its tour to Sochi. (the actual one used, not one of the other 5 travel torches used for promotion) It was very interesting as it had its own bodyguard.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

My DD took a throwing clinic from Olympian Lance Brooks (discus), Gia Lewis-Smallwood (also olympic discus) was also there to help.

My DS went to school with Gracie Gold, a figure skater who was at 2014 winter olympics.

 

[JimMIA]

My DD took a throwing clinic from Olympian Lance Brooks (discus), Gia Lewis-Smallwood (also olympic discus) was also there to help.

My DS went to school with Gracie Gold, a figure skater who was at 2014 winter olympics.

Gracie is the current U.S. Ladies Champion.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

Gracie is the current U.S. Ladies Champion.

Gracie is our home town hero.