Do You Know Any Olympians?

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

Let's have a little Olympics fun...

Like the earlier celebrities thread...

Do you know any Olympic Athletes, past or present?


To kick things off...

My elementary school gym teacher was Donald Behm, 1968 Silver Medalist in Wrestling.

After a few years of school he happened to mention this to the class and I went home and told my parents "I know someone who was in the Olympics!" To which my father answered, "Of course, your gym teacher won a medal a few years ago." He even knew the details. Thus convincing me that my father really did know everything!

[K-FL]

My dh's 2nd cousin (his cousin's son) was in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He was a 1500 meter runner.

[Soph the vet]

I think I did. Michael Godfrey was my trainer in the fall of '85 for riding. He was training for the '88 Olympics and I got to ride his very big (17.3 hands) warmblood dressage horse! It was like floating.

I've known other US equestrians too, just casually, from the horse show circuit.

[Mel in K-zoo]

A good friend of mine from when I was younger was in judo in the Athens Olympics. His olympic experience was pretty short.

[Danestress]

But the only one who would know us is Mark Gangloff, who won a gold in the medly relay in Athens and placed 4th there in the 100 breast. He competed this year but didn't do as well - I think 6th place. He has done some private lessons with my swimming son. He's an absolutely delightful, gracious, young man and a credit to the sport. He let both my boys wear his gold medal, lol.

We've met a number of other swimmers and have autographs from Margaret Hoelzer, Collen Jones, Jeremy Knowles, and a few others. One thing I love about swimming is that kids at the highest level in the world are still so encouraging to with younger kids. My son isn't one of the better swimmers on his team. He's just happy to be there. But it seems like swimming provides a lot of neat opportunities to mix it up with the "big guys."

[klmama]

My older brother used to ride motocross with Bruce Jenner (won gold medal for the decathalon). I met him once.

[Jennifer in MI]

Yes. Dh's cousin is Thomas Wilkins - he was the captain of the men's swim team in Australia. He won bronze in the IM!

[LG Gone Wild]

I do know someone who was...the owner of the studio where I work out. I don't know which one but it was for Greco Roman wrestling.

[nakitty]

I had a friend that was friends with Tonya Harding in elementary school....and she said that Ms Harding was a very nice person but that her Mother was horrid....LOL My friend moved away though so I believe they quit being friends around 5th or 6th grade....but I don't really remember.

[CleoQc]

Two of my cousins competed for Canada in speed skating - long distance in the '88 Olympics. In the same Olympics, two other cousins competed in ice dancing representing France: the Duschenay.

This year, the brother of my DS's coach is on the water polo team for Canada.

[SABE]

I used to go to church with Rowdy Gaines.

[anissarobert]

I don't know her, but my home town, just had its first gold-medal Olympian!

Kristen Armstrong, who won gold in the Women's time trial bike race is from Boise Idaho.

[*anj*]

Yes, I do. (http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49168) :001_smile:

[Karen sn]

I know a future swimmer!
My best friend's dd is a natural. When she was a baby I called her a mermaid. We were just in the pool today and I told bf that her dd was going to the olympics and I was excited to go one day and say I am here to see Katiebug.