With the 2012 Olympic Games set to open this week in London, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, co-chairman of the Congressional Olympic and Paralympic Caucus, released the following statement in support of Team USA.
“As the home of the U.S. Olympic Committee as well as many Olympic and Paralympic athletes, Colorado is at the heart of the Olympic spirit. My family will be among the many in our state pulling for our athletes as they compete for gold.
“For many of our athletes, these Olympics mark the culmination of years of hard work resulting in a unique opportunity to compete on the world stage. We wish them luck and join all Coloradans and Americans in uniting behind these great ambassadors of our nation. We all support them as they demonstrate their skill, determination and competitive spirit to the rest of the world.”
Bennet today also joined several of his Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution in support of the Olympics.
The 2012 U.S. Olympic Team that will compete in the London Games is a 530-member team comprised of 269 women and 261 men, including 40 athletes with Colorado ties.
This team is the first in history in which female athletes outnumber their male counterparts—a mark of the success of Title IX, which was signed into law 40 years ago.
The United States will be represented in all sports and 246 of the 302 medal events.
The 2012 U.S. Paralympic Team that will compete in the London Paralympic Games (August 29 to September 9, 2012) is an approximately 200-member team that will be officially announced on August 6 and will include military veterans who were injured while serving our country.
Olympic athletes with Colorado ties (multiple ties are listed separately):
Alamosa
Grant James, Rowing (Birthplace)
Ross James, Rowing (Birthplace)
Aurora
Missy Franklin, Swimming (Residence; Hometown: Centennial)
Boulder
Emma Coburn, Track & Field (Residence; Hometown: Crested Butte)
Evelyn Stevens, Cycling (Residence)
Laura Bennett, Triathlon (Residence)
Shalane Flanagan, Track & Field (Birthplace)
Shalaya Kipp, Track & Field (Residence)
Taylor Phinney, Cycling (Hometown)
Tejay van Gareren, Cycling (Hometown)
Timmy Duggan, Cycling (Hometown)
Centennial
Missy Franklin, Swimming (Hometown; Residence: Aurora)
Colorado Springs
Ben Provisor, Wrestling (Residence)
Chas Betts, Wrestling (Residence)
Clarissa Chun, Wrestling (Residence)
Corey Cogdell, Shooting (Residence)
Dennis Bowsher, Modern Pentathlon (Residence)
Dremiel Byers, Wrestling (Residence)
Elena Pirozhkova, Wrestling (Residence)
Ellis Coleman, Wrestling (Residence)
Frank Thompson, Shooting (Residence)
Hunter Kemper, Triathlon (Residence)
John Orozco, Gymnastics (Residence)
Justin Lester, Wrestling (Residence)
Keith Sanderson, Shooting (Residence)
Kelsey Campbell, Wrestling (Residence)
Margaux Isaksen, Modern Pentathlon (Residence)
Nick Mowrer, Shooting (Residence)
Seth Kelsey, Fencing (Residence)
Stephany Lee, Wrestling (Residence)
Trevor Barron, Track & Field (Residence)
Crested Butte
Emma Coburn, Track & Field (Hometown; Residence: Boulder)
Denver
David Herman, Cycling (Birthplace; Hometown: Wheat Ridge)
David McKienzie, Volleyball (Birthplace; Hometown: Littleton)
Kara Lynn Joyce, Swimming (Hometown)
Lance Brooks, Track & Field (Residence)
Durango
John Nunn, Track & Field (Birthplace)
Firestone
Eric Uptagrafft, Shooting (Residence)
Fort Collins
Georgia Gould, Cycling (Residence)
Janay DeLoach, Track & Field (Residence)
Larkspur
Taylor Ritzel, Rowing (Hometown)
Littleton
David McKienzie, Volleyball (Hometown; Birthplace: Denver)
Monument
Jenny Simpson, Track & Field (Residence)
Wheat Ridge
David Herman, Cycling (Hometown; Birthplace: Denver)