30 US Olympians In Their Teens
The Beijing Olympics begin in less than a week and I can’t wait! We love watching sports - especially the ones that only seem to get air time once every four years.
The Olympics are the pinnacle of success for most elite athletes as they culminate years and years of training, competing and sacrifices. It is amazing that there are athletes who are able to achieve this greatness as TEENS! Of course, the first ones to come to mind are usually the “pixie” gymnasts, but there are teen sensations in many of the sports.
This year’s teenaged Olympians (for the United States) are:
The US Women’s Olympic Team - starring Shawn Johnson (16), Nastia Liukin (18), Samantha Peszek (16), and Bridget Sloan (16) are expected to medal. The team is rounded out by Chellsie Memmel and Alicia Sacramone who were teens not to long ago.
Trampoline is a separate sport of its own and Erin Blanchard (18) will be one to watch.
Diving is another Olympic sport full of teens like David Boudia (19), Thomas Finchum (18), Kelci Bryant (18), Ariel Rittenhouse (17) and two of the youngest athletes at the games, Haley Ishimatsu and Mary Beth Dunnichay, who are both 15!
Soccer players Freddy Adu (back facing us) and Jozy Altidore (on left heading ball to Adu) are both 19. (photo: Newscom)
The US Olympic Canoe/Kayak team features Casey Eichfeld (18), Benn Fraker (19), and Rick Powell (19). (photo: Newscom)
The US Swim Team has some of the youngest and some of the oldest Olympians on their team making for a really strong team all around. Elizabeth Beisel turns 16 during the Games and will be joined by other teen swimmers including Allison Schmitt (18), Chloe Sutton (16), Kathleen Hersey (18), and Katie Hoff (19) who was the youngest member of the 2004 Olympic team.
Charlotte Craig is on the US Olympic Tae Kwon Do team at the age of 17. (Photo: Flickr)
Cyclist Taylor Phinney enters the games at the age of 18 and with a new 3K World Record to his name.
The shooting team has a trio of teens representing the USA - Sandra Fong (18), Stephen Scherer (19) and Vincent Hancock (19) is pictured above. (Photo: Flickr)
Wrestler Jake Deitchler is 18.
Margaux Isaksen, modern pentathlon, is 16.
Meghan Kinney is 19 and the youngest member of the synchronized swimming team.
Boxing’s youngest is 18-year old Javier Molina.
Fencing’s Gerek Meinhardt and Becca Ward are both 18.
Good Luck to all the athletes!!! You make us proud.
Tags: 2008 olympic games, beijing, china, olympics, teensRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Sports
10 opinions for 30 US Olympians In Their Teens
Sports Girls Play | Tips and resources for raising a happy, healthy athlete » Diving Olympic Trials Video Montage
Aug 3, 2008 at 6:22 pm
[…] putting together a post on the 30 members of the US Olympic Team that are still teenagers for another site, I came across this very cool video montage of the US Divers at their Olympic […]
Mary Emma Allen
Aug 3, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Really great post, Char. I’m going to let my One Book Two Book (www.onebooktwobook.com )readers know about it. It ties right in with the Olympics theme for this week.
Do You Know There Are 30 US Teens in the Olympics?
Aug 3, 2008 at 7:24 pm
[…] in Beijing and plan on following some of the events, you’ll find Char Polanosky’s post, 30 US Olympians in their Teens of great interest. Char also includes a number of videos of the young men and […]
pickel
Aug 4, 2008 at 6:00 am
Don’t forget the paralympics!
http://www.achildchosen.com/paralympic-jessica-long-is-russian-adoptee/
Camp Weary Parent Gets Ready For The Games
Aug 5, 2008 at 3:28 am
[…] post on teen Olympians was the official kick off of Olympic week for Camp Weary Parent. Today we are going to continue […]
Do You Know 30 US Teens Are Participating in the Olympics?
Aug 6, 2008 at 1:03 pm
[…] in Beijing and plan on following some of the events, you’ll find Char Polanosky’s post, 30 US Olympians in their Teens of great interest. Char also includes a number of videos of the young men and […]
Talking about the Olympics
Aug 8, 2008 at 6:48 am
[…] Char at “Weary Parent,” a look at the 30 teens participating in the Olympics and How to host an Olympic […]
b5media - Talking About the Olympics Around b5media
Aug 8, 2008 at 11:24 am
[…] Char at “Weary Parent,” a look at the 30 teens participating in the Olympics and How to host an Olympic […]
Buzz about the Olympics on the Lifestyles channel of b5 media
Aug 8, 2008 at 10:12 pm
[…] at “Weary Parent,” a look at the 30 teens participating in the Olympics and How to host an Olympic party Tags: 08/08/08, crochet, Crochetville 2008 Crochet Games of […]
Sports Girls Play | Tips and resources for raising a happy, healthy athlete » US Synchronized Divers Bryant and Rittenhouse Finish 4th
Aug 10, 2008 at 4:59 pm
[…] of the dives - they really made everything look so easy. It was also interesting to hear that Kelci Bryant took the path of many elite athletes - leaving home to train to achieve her […]
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