Team USA Features 87 Returning Olympians with 48 Olympic Medals

Team USA Features 87 Returning Olympians with 48 Olympic Medals

Feb. 2, 2010 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) today announced its team members for competition at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada. Team USA consists of 216 athletes, including 123 men and 93 women.

Highlighting the list are three Olympians heading to their fifth Winter Games. Luge athleteMark Grimmette (Muskegon, Mich.) and Nordic combined skierTodd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) have been named to five consecutive U.S. Olympic Teams (1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010). Casey Puckett(Aspen, Colo.) competed in four straight Winter Games as an alpine skier (1992, 1994, 1998, 2002). He retired from the U.S. Alpine Ski Team in 2002 before returning to the slopes to try out ski cross, which makes its Olympic debut in Vancouver. Grimmette, Lodwick and Puckett join former bobsledder and current men's bobsled head coachBrian Shimer as the only five-time U.S. Olympians to compete in a Winter

Games in history.

"America's finest athletes are ready to captivate our country once again in anticipation of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver," said USOC Chief Executive OfficerScott Blackmun. "The 216 athletes we have officially entered into competition will provide inspiration for Americans young and old, and our athletes will do so with the pride and honor that is inherent in representing the United States of America."

Including Grimmette, Lodwick and Puckett, Team USA features 87 returning Olympians. The 2010 U.S. Olympic Team boasts 12 four-time Olympians, 22 three-time Olympians and 50 two-time Olympians. Eighty Olympians return from the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy, where the U.S. finished second in the overall medal count with 25. Included in the 87 returning Olympians is luge athleteBengt Walden (Northbridge, Mass.) who qualified for his fourth Winter Games, but only his first with Team USA. Walden competed for Sweden in 1994, 1998 and 2002.

"America's athletes, the National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and the USOC have worked together closely over these last four years to help pave the way for this moment," said USOC Board ChairLarry Probst. "This has truly been a partnership, and we stand together as we head into the exciting 17 days of the Games. The 2010 U.S. Olympic Team looks forward to being gracious guests in Canada, and rising to our best as the Games unfold."

Among the 216 members of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team, 31 have won Olympic medals in previous Winter Games, with a total of 48 Olympic medals among them (12 gold, 20 silver and 16 bronze). Team USA features one five-time Olympic medalist, three three-time medalists and seven two-time medalists. Short track speedskaterApolo Anton Ohno (Seattle, Wash.) leads the way as the most decorated returning Olympian. The two-time Olympic athlete has earned five medals: two gold, one silver and two bronze. Ohno is currently tied with long track speedskaterEric Heiden for the most medals won by a male U.S. athlete at a Winter Games (five), and Ohno is one medal away from tying the record for the most

medals won by any U.S. athlete in a Winter Games, a record held by long track speedskaterBonnie Blair (six).

"Today we welcome another distinguished class into the U.S. Olympic history books with the naming of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team," said USOC Chef de MissionMike Plant, who was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team in speedskating. "The athletes on this team have made countless sacrifices, dedicated themselves to pursuing their Olympic dreams and to being their best both on and off the field of play. We are excited to support them in every way possible, and to witness their results in Vancouver."

Twenty-four years separate the oldest and youngest 2010 U.S. Olympians. CurlersTracy Sachtjen (Lodi, Wis.) andJohn Benton (St. Michael, Minn.) were named to their first Olympic team at 40 years young. Also first-time Olympians are the youngest members of Team USA at 16 years of age: freestyle aerialistAshley Caldwell (Hamilton, Va.), and figure skatersMirai Nagasu (Arcadia, Calif.) andCaydee Denney (Wesley Chapel, Fla.).

More fun facts about the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team:

* Thirty-five states are represented, including 21 from Minnesota and 19 from New York. See the accompanying attachment for full list.

* BobsledderChuck Berkeley (Pittsfield, Mass.) checks in as the tallest member of Team USA at 6'5". Five athletes are tied as the shortest members of Team USA at 5'0" includingLaura Spector (biathlon/Lenox, Mass.),Caydee Denney (Figure Skating/Wesley Chapel, Fla.),Amanda Evora (figure skating/Sugar Land, Texas),Erika Lawler (Ice Hockey/Fitchburg, Mass.), andMichelle Roark (freestyle skiing - moguls/Denver, Colo.).

* Team USA features one set of twins in hockey playersJocelyne and Monique Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D.).

* Twenty-three members of Team USA have children; there are 17 dads and six moms.

* Six U.S. athletes have ties to the military, of which five are bobsled athletes:

* Serving in the U.S. Army's World Class Athlete Program are biathlete SGTJeremy Teela (Heber City, Utah), bobsled pilot SGTJohn Napier (Lake Placid, N.Y.) and bobsled athleteChris Fogt (Alpine, Utah)

o Serving in the U.S. National Guard Outstanding Athlete Program are bobsled pilot SGTShauna Rohbock (Park City, Utah / Utah Army National Guard) and bobsled athleteMike Kohn (Chantilly, Va. / also a Sergeant in the Virginia Army National Guard)

o Formerly serving in the U.S. Army National Guard was bobsled pilotSteven Holcomb (Park City, Utah).

The 2010 U.S. Olympic Team roster may still be adjusted due to injury, illness or exceptional circumstances up to the technical meetings for each sport.

Your complete source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only.