Sunday, August 03, 2008

33 Olympians with Indiana ties, including 15 from IU and ND

DIVING

David Boudia
Age: 19.
Hometown: Noblesville
Note: Performing world's most difficult list, he won World Cup bronze medal in February.
Schedule: Synchro platform Aug. 11, platform prelims and semifinals Aug. 22, platform final Aug. 23.

Kelci Bryant
Age: 19.
Hometown: Carmel
Note: Illinois native was state champ for Harrison High. She and Ariel Rittenhouse won World Cup bronze in synchro springboard.
Schedule: Synchro 3-meter Aug. 10.

Mary Beth Dunnichay
Age: 15.
Hometown: Elwood
Note: Youngest U.S. Olympian won Pan Am Games bronze in synchro platform with Haley Ishimatsu.
Schedule: Synchro platform Aug. 12.

Thomas Finchum
Age: 18.
Hometown: Indianapolis
Note: Nearly made Olympics as tiny 14-year-old. He has grown (to 6-1), and so has his skill.
Schedule: Synchro platform Aug. 11, platform prelims and semifinals Aug. 22, platform final Aug. 23.

Haley Ishimatsu
Age: 15.
Hometown: Indianapolis
Note: Californian is internationally experienced despite age. Medal contender in platform and synchro.
Schedule: Synchro platform Aug. 12, platform prelims and semifinals Aug. 20, platform final Aug. 21.

Christina Loukas
Age: 22.
Hometown: Bloomington
Note: IU diver nearly medaled at World Cup, finishing fourth on springboard.
Schedule: 3-meter prelims Aug. 15, semifinals Aug. 16, final Aug. 17.

Ariel Rittenhouse
Age: 17.
Hometown: Indianapolis
Note: Californian is upholding family tradition. Her mother and uncle were Olympians.
Schedule: Synchro 3-meter Aug. 10.

TRACK & FIELD

Amy Yoder Begley
Age: 30.
Hometown: Kendallville
Note: East Noble and Arkansas grad made courageous run to qualify in 10,000.
Schedule: Final Aug. 15.

Amber Campbell
Age: 27.
Hometown: Indianapolis
Note: Pike grad was second in hammer throw at U.S. trials. She is a personal trainer in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Schedule: Prelims Aug. 17 and final Aug. 20.

Leroy Dixon
Age: 24.
Hometown: South Bend
Note: Former state champ won 400 relay gold at 2007 worlds. He is in relay pool again.
Schedule: 400 relay prelims Aug. 21 and final Aug. 22.

David Neville
Age: 24.
Hometown: Merrillville
Note: Ex-IU 400-meter sprinter trains under coach John Smith in Los Angeles. Could win gold medal in 1,600 relay.
Schedule: 400 heats Aug. 17, semifinals Aug. 19 and final Aug. 21; 1,600 relay heats Aug. 22 and final Aug. 23.

Kara Patterson
Age: 22.
Hometown: Vancouver, Wash.
Note: Purdue javelin thrower's 202-foot toss ranks No. 2 in U.S. history. She won U.S. trials.
Schedule: Prelims Aug. 18 and final Aug. 21.

Aarik Wilson
Age: 25.
Hometown: Fallon, Nev.
Note: Former NCAA indoor champ at IU. Ranked No. 4 in world in triple jump in 2007 and won U.S. trials in 2008.
Schedule: Prelims Aug. 17 and final Aug. 21.

GYMNASTICS

Samantha Peszek
Age: 16.
Hometown: McCordsville
Note: Member of 2007 world champs. Fourth in all-around at nationals and Olympic trials.
Schedule: team prelims Aug. 10 and final Aug. 13.

Bridget Sloan
Age: 16.
Hometown: Pittsboro
Note: After being alternate at 2007 worlds, she made team at final selection camp.
Schedule: team prelims Aug. 10 and final Aug. 13.

FENCING

Kelley Hurley
Age: 20.
Hometown: San Antonio
Note: Notre Dame female fencer is NCAA and junior world champion in epee.
Schedule: Individual epee Aug. 13.

Gerek Meinhardt
Age: 18.
Hometown: San Francisco
Note: Notre Dame recruit has Chinese mother. In 2006, at 16, he became youngest U.S. foil champion.
Schedule: Individual foil Aug. 13.

Mariel Zagunis
Age: 23.
Hometown: Beaverton, Ore.
Note: Defending women's gold medalist in sabre sat out at Notre Dame this year to prepare for Olympics.
Schedule: Individual sabre Aug. 9 and team sabre Aug. 14.

Shannon Boxx
Age: 30.
Hometown: Redondo Beach, Calif.
Note: Notre Dame graduate is among world's top defensive midfielders.
Schedule: Aug. 6 vs. Norway, Aug. 9 vs. Japan, Aug. 12 vs. New Zealand, Aug. 15 quarterfinals, Aug. 18 semifinals, Aug. 21 medal round.

Lauren Cheney
Age: 20.
Hometown: Indianapolis
Note: UCLA forward from Ben Davis replaced injured Abby Wambach. A potent scorer near the goal.
Schedule: Aug. 6 vs. Norway, Aug. 9 vs. Japan, Aug. 12 vs. New Zealand, Aug. 15 quarterfinals, Aug. 18 semifinals, Aug. 21 medal round.

Kate Markgraf
Age: 31.
Hometown: Rochester Hills, Mich.
Note: Three-time Olympian from Notre Dame gave birth to son in 2006.
Schedule: Aug. 6 vs. Norway, Aug. 9 vs. Japan, Aug. 12 vs. New Zealand, Aug. 15 quarterfinals, Aug. 18 semifinals, Aug. 21 medal round.

VOLLEYBALL

Lloy Ball
Age: 36.
Hometown: Woodburn
Note: IPFW graduate didn't expect to be around so along. This will be his fourth Olympics, and he wants first medal.
Schedule: Aug. 10 vs. Venezuela, Aug. 12 vs. Italy, Aug. 14 vs. Bulgaria, Aug. 16 vs. China, Aug. 18 vs. Japan, Aug. 20 quarterfinal, Aug. 22 semifinals, Aug. 24 medal round.

FIELD HOCKEY

Kayla Bashore
Age: 25.
Hometown: Shoemakersville, Pa.
Note: The 5-2 midfielder was Big Ten Player of the Year and All-American at IU. Born in South Korea.
Schedule: Aug. 10 vs. Argentina, Aug. 12 vs. Japan, Aug. 13 vs. Germany, Aug. 15 vs. New Zealand, Aug. 18 vs. Great Britain, Aug. 20 pool classification, Aug. 22 medal round.

BASKETBALL

Tamika Catchings
Age: 29.
Hometown: Indianapolis
Note: Fever forward rounding into shape from Achilles injury. She won gold medal with 2004 team.
Schedule: Aug. 9 vs. Czech Republic, Aug. 11, vs. China, Aug. 13 vs. Mali, Aug. 15 vs. Spain, Aug. 17 vs. New Zealand, Aug. 19 quarterfinal, Aug. 21 semifinals, Aug. 23 medal round.

FOREIGN OLYMPIANS

Those with Indiana ties on other countries' Olympic teams (with their age and the nation they are representing):

PlayerComment
Tully Bevilaqua, 36, AustraliaFever point guard was on Aussies' 2006 world championship team.
Mariangee Bogado, 24, VenezuelaFormer IU softball pitcher will open against Team USA on Aug. 12.
Thomas Chamney, 24, IrelandEx-Notre Dame runner, who was sixth in 800 at 2006 NCAAs, had popular blog on Internet.
Candace Chapman, 25, CanadaFormer Notre Dame midfielder, born in Trinidad, won soccer bronze medal at 2007 Pan Am Games.
Sergiy Fesenko, 26, UkraineThird Olympics for distance freestyler. He was five-time swim All-American at IU.
Victoria Mitchell, 26, AustraliaButler graduate was NCAA champion in steeplechase, an event making Olympic debut.
Ria Percival, 18, New ZealandSoccer midfielder for FC Indiana is based in West Lafayette.
Melissa Tancredi, 26, CanadaFormer Notre Dame soccer All-American was Canada's top scorer in Olympic qualifying tourney.
Kateryna Zubkova, 20, UkraineIU's NCAA runner-up in 200 backstroke won two medals at swimming's short course worlds. Also Olympian in 2004.

Cut & Paste via IndyStar

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