Ever known an Olympian?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I have to say, I love the Olympics. They’re neat and stuff. That said…

Have any of you ever known an Olympian? Who, and how did they do?

Back in my college days, I knew a few…Dave Johnson (of the “Dan and Dave” advertising rivalry–in fact, one of their Reebok commercials was shot on the football field of our university). Actually, I can’t say I particularly knew Dave, but he trained at Azusa Pacific regularly for a few years and was a near daily sight. He went to Barcelona that year and earned a bronze in the decathalon, running on a broken foot.

The others I knew were fellow college students who actually went to the Olympics representing different lands; these students came to AP. Kriss Akabusi ran for England–man, he was a kick in the pants. I sat by him in a theology course, and he always had interesting input (as well as was a darn funny guy). Looking him up online, I found that he had several Commonwealth gold medals, but apparently he never scored Olympic medals. He did win gold at the 1990 European Championship, however. Funny…a few years after graduating, I happened to see Kriss on TV (one of those, “Real TV” type shows) doing an airplane stunt–standing tethered on top of the plane while it flew upside down. Yup, that sounds like Kriss!

My favorites, though, were the Ezinwa (identical) twins–Davidson and Osmond. These two fellows were from Nigeria, and were very LOUD…but in a fun-loving, gotta-love-'em kind of way. I had a few classes with Davidson, but not Osmond (you could tell them apart by a dark mole on Davidson’s face–we called it the “Davidson Dot”). These two had the apartment next door to a friend of mine the year after the Barcelona Olympics. Through the thin walls, you often heard the Olympic theme CD “BARCEL-O-NA!” blasting, as well as their colorful (loud) voices speaking rapidly in their native language. Usually, it went something like this: “BLAH BLABBITY BLAH! BLAH BLAH BLAH! HAH HAH HAH!” …they had very unique, infectious, and well…loud laughs. Heh heh.

Frick. Online research (granted, it was a Nigerian message board) shows Davidson was disqualified recently for using performance enhancing drugs. Dammit!

There were actually other Olympians from my alma mater that participated in the 1992 games, but I didn’t know them. Oh, and FWIW, Davidson and Osmond actually got into the Guiness Book of World Records around Barcelona time–as the world’s fastest set of twins. :slight_smile: That year, they actually defeated Carl Lewis in (non-Olympic) competition. Neat and stuff. Sort of.

Anyway…how 'bout y’all?

2

Did you know that the Olympians are given (i think this is the right number) 51 condoms for their time at the games - that’s 3 per day. And they’re in 3 different colors - gold, silver, and bronze.

So I think the question should be - has anybody ever CARNALLY known an Olympian?!?

3

I grew up across the street from Erika Hansen, who finished fifth or so in one of the swimming events in Seoul in 1988.

That was pretty neat.

4

Don’t know the guy personally, but the boxer Brian Viloria is from my neighborhood. He won his match yesterday against a Russian boxer whose name I can’t recall.

5

Well, this kind of ties in with the thread in GQ about kids in the old Soviet Bloc being forced to spend their childhoods in training:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=38783

I grew up in the same town as figure skater Nancy Kerrigan (the one who got her kneecap Gilloolied), and was two years behind her in school. Until the Olympics, I had never even heard of her.

She would train for two hours before class, then would leave as soon as possible in the afternoon for more training. She didn’t do any extracurriculars in school and had little, if any, social life.

–sublight.

6

In college, I took an archery class with Denise O’Connor, a competitor in fencing (no, I don’t know what she was doing teaching Archery) at the '52 games.

Later in life, I worked for a guy (forgot his name) who was supposed to swim in the 1980 Olympics at Moscow before the U.S. boycotted them. By the time the '84 Olympics came around, he wasn’t nearly as fast anymore and retired.
Zev Steinhardt

7

When I was a kid, my parents would take me to Airstream rallies. One of the members of our unit was John Woodruff, an African-American who won the American Gold in the 800 meter run in Hitler’s Nazi Olympics. He was a nice guy, and promised to show me his Gold Medal, but I never saw him again.

8

I was very good friends with Peter Lewison, American Olympic Foil Fencer in the LA and Seoul games.

Pete and I went to the same college, fenced on the college fencing team, and later joined the NY Fencer’s Club. We were quite close and we socialized together a lot in those years. Peter, in fact, cracked my front tooth in a fencing match, requiring me to wear a crown for the rest of my life; when people ask about the tooth, I tell them the story, ending with the line “… I went to the dentist and he went to the Olympics.”

For many years Peter and another fencer (Michael Marks?) jockeyed for the #1 and #2 spots in the USA foil rankings. At the LA Olympic Games, IIRC, he placed 11th in the men’s individual foil competition – the highest-placed American, but, of course, not good enough for a medal.

The NYFC has always been something of a crucible for developing world-class American Fencers. So while I fenced there I also had a nodding/chatting acquaintance with Olympians Peter Westbrook (saber) and Albie Axlerod (foil), both of whom were Olympic medalists, Westbrook in 1984 and Axlerod in 1964.

Please do not get the idea that because I was in such stellar company, I was any good. I was not. I was an average epee fencer, with a C ranking at best.

Peter had a rough time handling his huge talent and the resulting success. He grew cranky, temperamental and cross. He soured on his family and friends and, from what I’m told, left the sport. He moved out of NY years ago, and former friends and teammates I’ve spoken with tell me has not been heard from since.

Too bad, he was a great guy – when he wanted to be. I miss the nice things about him.

9

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. The vice-principal at my elementary school was on the 1952 US Ice Hockey team. They won the silver, but somebody stole the team’s medals before they returned home. :frowning:

–sublight.

10

I think so, but I don’t remember who it was :frowning:
My 8th grade tennis coach played at Wimbeldon and the US & French Opens in the '60s, though.

11

When rereading and editing the OP, I started to add another sentence…then never finished it. Derrr! The result:

…U as a part of the international student program.

Yes, I am a dork. Shaddup.

12

The CEO of my company (it’s a very small company, so we’re on a first name basis), is a former olympic field hockey goalie.

13

My sister-in-laws boyfriend is in Sydney right with the Canadian sailing team. Not sure the exact name of the type of sailing he does…something about 3 man open keelboat or soaling. His team came in 9th today in the qualifier. (GO BRAD GO!!!)
I’m going to have to ask him about that condem thing. I’ve never heard that before. I’m not sure my sister-in-law (who is over there with him) will be overly happy if any are missing :slight_smile:

14

I did have an olympic skater, Debi Thomas (3rd Ladies Figure Skating, Calgary, 1988) at my house once when I hosted a company party. Her mom Janice was one of my employees.

15

I used to be the soccer coach a young guy named Michael Katsidis. A very talented guy and a good friend, Michael decided to pursue boxing a few years later and yesterday won his first round Olympic fight.

I’ve been fortunate enough to know quite a few Olympians but this was something special. I’m not a huge boxing fan but I was almost in tears during the bout. He deserved it so much especially considering some of the unfair criticism he’s copped in the past week (from the national coach no less - stick that result you mindless leftover from ancient sport: how did YOUR favourites go over the weekend? What? None got past their first fight? What a shame… /rant)

Back on track: Micheal’s heart and determination will ensure he goes a long way and I’m proud to know him.

16

Ms. Dinsdale speedskates, a sport where the distance between recreational participants and the top tier is not as extreme in other sports. She knows several people who regularly compete and coach in the winter Olympics. I have met many of them, but am not actively involved in the sport so I can’t rattle off a bunch of names. The Sundstrom girls used to train at the same club as Ms. D, and their parents still do. They live a couple of blocks away from us.

17

I went to school with Mieketine Wouters, captain of the Dutch Womens Hockey team in the early 90’s. She went to the Barcelona and Atlanta Games, I think.

18

One I know personally, and one I’m sorta connected to:

Fred Lowe, Olympian weightlifter from the US team in the years 1968, 1972 AND 1976 (one of only 7 Americans to be in 3 Olympics in wieghtlifting - still does it, by the way).

And, My SO’s nephew’s cousin is Dominique Dawes, who was on the Women’s Olympic Gymnastics team, also competed individually. Never met her, did know her cousin.

19

I went to college with Christina Teuscher, a US swimming gold medalist in the last Olympics. She lived in my building freshman year, and we would occasionally ride up in the same elevator. She is at least six inches taller than me, and has legs that stop just below her neck. Really nice girl, though. One of my friends on the swim team knew her well.

And my former fencing teacher was an Olympic sabre fencer, back in the day.

MR

20

My sister.

We lived in California for a while as kids, and she was into gymnastics big-time. We even had a beam and bars and stuff at the house. She was one of those petite types perfect for gymnastics, very light and strong. She could do one-armed pull-ups like nobody’s business. It was amazing to watch her do complete flips on the beam and stick it.

Anyway, she trained in Santa Barbara where a lot of the olympic-bound gymnasts trained. My sister was told by the coach that she was slated for the “alternate” squad. This would have been the 1980 Olympics. My sister was 10 at the time, and, although not ready for the '80 team, could have been ready for '84.

Of course, the '80 Olymics never happened (for the US, anyway). And our family moved across the country in '81. My sister lost interest and that was that.