Thursday, August 4, 2016

Eleven New Yorkers Heading for Rio for Summer Olympics

You might think more New Yorkers would qualify as Olympic athletes, considering the intense training we get every day just by living here. Running for the train, jumping over pot holes, throwing groceries in the cart at the crowded supermarket, could almost be their own Olympic sports.

Nevertheless, there are eleven enormously talented (and hard-working) young people from the Big Apple that are off to join in the festivities and competition that has been a dream come true for them.

The athletes will participate in five popular events: basketball, fencing, gymnastics, swimming, and track and field. Here is a sample of just three of our eleven stars:

Carmelo Anthony is a star basketball player. This is his fourth visit to the Olympics, and he already has two gold medals at home. Here in New York he spends his spare time as the franchise player of the New York Knicks.

Tina Charles is also a basketball hero. Here at home she is the center for the New York Liberty women’s basketball team. She also took home the gold once before, four years ago. She is a native of Queens where she played high school basketball.

Miles Chamley-Watson is a swordsmen of amazing prowess. He was born in London, but that hasn’t stopped him from representing the USA in fencing for the second time. He proved his determination by being the first US fencer to win a gold medal at the 2013 world championships.