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.
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.
Don’t forget the paralympics!
http://www.achildchosen.com/paralympic-jessica-long-is-russian-adoptee/