USA: OLYMPICS - Team USA athletes pack Times Square with 100 days to go to the London 2012 Olympic Games

Record ID: 330672

  • Title: USA: OLYMPICS - Team USA athletes pack Times Square with 100 days to go to the London 2012 Olympic Games
  • Date: 19th April 2012
  • Summary: VARIOUS DOUBLE DECKER BUS PARKED IN TIMES SQUARE VARIOUS "BEEFEATER" AND A BRITISH RED PHONE BOOTH IN FRONT OF BUS
  • Embargoed: 4th May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa, Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA4MFFVG8RKSX12S3A0GTIBMV66
  • Story Text: Team USA rolled into Times Square in a double-decker bus accompanied by a Beefeater to mark the final 100-day countdown to the the London 2012 Games on Wednesday (April 18).
    The U.S. Olympic Committee, one of the few national committees that does not receive government subsidies, brought athletes from many of the different sports and disciplines to New York City to demonstrate their sport and meet the public to kick off a fund-raising program in the build up to the Summer Games.
    The demonstrations including several newer events to the sporting festival such as BMX racing and trampoline gymnastics, but also on hand were some defending Olympic medalists in the traditional disciplines -- including one of the few four-legged members of Team USA from the equestrian events.
    Three-time medalist, sprinter Alison Felix, looked forward to the final push for London as she prepared for the U.S. Olympic Trials in June.
    "I think the countdown does definitely make you nervous - it all hits you, 'oh my gosh, it's here' - but also excitement, because this is what we've been training for and this is what we're excited about. And so I am, I'm feeling good that it's coming around," Felix explained.
    "I think London's going to do a great job. I'm excited to see their twist on it, you know. Every place is a little different and so I think they'll do a great job, but it'll be great just to see the Opening Ceremonies and just see how the city is, you know. They have. . . every time I've competed there, the fans have been great. They're very knowledgeable, and so I think they're very excited about the whole thing," said Felix, who is hoping to compete in her third Games.
    Already qualified for London, Rau'shee Warren will become the first boxer ever to compete at three Olympic tournaments. The flyweight is excited to compete at a venue without the linguistic challenges he faced in Athens and Beijing.
    "When I first heard it was London, it was like 'hey, it's kind of next door to the United States!' so here might be a lot of people from the United States there, so it might feel close to home, so I'll feel very comfortable, plus I'll understand the language!" joked Warren.
    Defending silver medalist Tim Morehouse will lead a strong the U.S. fencing squad to London where he hopes the team will repeat their six-medal haul from Beijing.
    "I can't believe it's already been almost four years since Beijing, but we're looking forward to it, and I think within a blink we'll be walking in during the Opening Ceremonies and back at the Games," said Morehouse.
    The expert with a sabre was excited to learn that the Queen still maintains the post for a Royal Champion should she require someone to defend her honor with a blade, though he was in no hurry to offend the Game's host.
    "If we win another Olympic medal, I would love to thank the Queen for hosting us. I don't know about challenging her, but if she'd like to see a fencing demonstration or do something like that, we'd be more than happy to do that for her," explained Morehouse.
    Also on hand for the sporting display in Times Square where four American gold medalists from the last time the Olympics were held in London.
    Sammy Lee, Alice Coachman, Mal Whitfield and Ray Lump all won their respective events for the U.S. in 1948 and came to draw up support for the new batch of U.S. athletes heading across the Atlantic.
    The veteran athletes recalled how the world had changed since the era when they competed, especially race relations. Coachman was the first African-American woman to win a gold medal for the U.S. when she won the highjump, while Whitfield was a veteran of the Tuskegee Airman of World War II and went on to fly for the U.S. in the Korean War after winning a medal in the 800-meter track event. Lee, a Korean-American, won the diving event despite having to use the training pool after all the white-athletes.
    Lee was excited to return to London after 64 years.
    "Naturally, I want to see the diving. I'd like to see the U.S. win the diving, but in my day they said you had to be white, now they say you have to be Chinese!" joked Lee.
    The London Games open on July 27th.
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