Are there any Olympic athletes from your area?

[manahmanah]

I have really been into the Olympics this year. One of the pitchers for the American softball team, Monica Abbott, if from here in Salinas where I live. She's one of the best pitchers American softball has had in a very long time. There are several other athletes from just north of here, in the Bay Area, some swimmers. Is there anyone competing in the Olympic game from where you are?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monica_Abbott

[retdetsgt]

There's several. Unfortunately I don't recall their names, I'm not that much into the Olymics. One is a young woman who won the gold for fencing, she won it last year too. The local news just interviewed a guy name Inman who won the bronze for rowing and there was an article in the paper about a young man that was in the men's marathon. I don't think he won anything, but he is in the competition.

[ChesCopPodz]

Not that I know of here. The tiny town I grew up in had a gold medal winning archer named John Williams that was born and raised there. He won his in the 72 games in Munich. He's got a road named after him (1 ouf of the 10 or so we even had)

In a month I'll be surrounded by them. Colorado Springs is home to the olympic training center.

[marinepilot]

We have an Olympian from the college I work for. She plays softball, but she's not on Team USA. She's a transfer student from Venezuela and she chose to play in the Olympics for her home country.

Here's a link to her story from our college website.

[MP_Steve]

We have a US citizen on another country's swimming team.

[1depd]

We have two from my area. One young lady is doing the long jump and qualified with the best jump last night. Our second, is an old guy who was trounced in sailing.

[1depd]

We have a US citizen on another country's swimming team.

That happens a lot. Many countries recognize dual citizenship, our doesn't.

[MP_Steve]

That happens a lot. Many countries recognize dual citizenship, our doesn't.

She's not a dual citizen. Only US. :eek:

[Retired Trooper]

Shaun Crawford a gold medalist in track last year and he is in the finals again this year.

[Jcrazy]

Michael Phelps

[manahmanah]

I don't agree with the whole "I was born and raised in the US but I am gong to play for ____NAME FOREIGN COUNTRY HERE____" I dunno, I guess it just offends me somehow.

I hear there is some half pollack, half mexican from Chicago, and he is going to wrestle for Mexico even though he was born and raised in the United States. Now he is going by the name Larry Langowski Mendoza, but apparently before that he had always gone by just Larry Langowski.

Is it just me, or does that bother anyone else? I mean, me, personally, I would not be able to look at myself in the mirror competing under the flag of another country. If I am not good enough to make the US team, I certainly don't want to play for some other county, and I am a first generation American (On my mother's side). My mother is right off the boat from the Ukraine. My grandparents on my father's side are from Poland.

My mother came here and has never looked back. She is a retired police officer and roots for the United States all the way. Anyway, enough of my rant. Anyone care to chime in?

[Ispbear]

Shawn Johnson and Lolo Jones.

Shawn got screwed out of 1 gold. I'm glad she finally got one on the beam.
Poor Lolo had the gold in the bag until she tripped on the last hurdle.

[GrayPatriot]

Shawn Johnson and Lolo Jones.

Shawn got screwed out of 1 gold. I'm glad she finally got one on the beam.
Poor Lolo had the gold in the bag until she tripped on the last hurdle.

Lolo will be fine as I am going to ask her out... Way better than a gold medal...

Dawn Harper was hilarious with her "What!" *10000 times. She couldn't believe she wont he gold medal.


I live neat the Canadian border and there are actually a whole bunch of Canucks near me competiting. I watch CBC and follow the Canadians too...

[ChesCopPodz]

I forgot to add- I've met Bruce Baumgartner many times. He coached wrestling at the college just down the street from my high school and was always making appearances at nearby high schools to put on wrestling camps

[Group9]

I know John Dane, one of the sailors repesenting the US at the Olympics (we belong to the same yacht club). I know "yacht club" sounds pretentious, but where I am, it's really just a bunch of rednecks who like to sail instead of playing golf, riding four wheelers in the mud, or watching professional wrestling. :D