UK: OLYMPICS: The mothers of U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte and Chinese badminton star Lin Dan say their sons are ready for the London Games, as Carol Hoy awaits her son's moment of glory in the opening ceremony

Record ID: 330950

  • Title: UK: OLYMPICS: The mothers of U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte and Chinese badminton star Lin Dan say their sons are ready for the London Games, as Carol Hoy awaits her son's moment of glory in the opening ceremony
  • Date: 25th July 2012
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 25, 2012) (REUTERS) MOTHERS OF OLYMPIC ATHLETES LINED UP ON BALCONY OVERLOOKING RIVER THAMES, PARLIAMENT VARIOUS OF MOTHERS ILEANA LOCHTE, MOTHER OF U.S. SWIMMER RYAN LOCHTE PHOTOGRAPHER MOTHERS WALK OFF VIEW OF BIG BEN LOCHTE POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPH WITH OLYMPIC MASCOT (SOUNDBITE) (English) ILEANA LOCHTE, MOTHER OF U.S. SWIMMER RYAN LOCHTE, SAYING; "He's very excited and he just wants it to start, you know, he's so ready for it, and I know he's put in all the hard training, so even if he doesn't make first place, I know that he's put in the work and he's trying 100 percent." VARIOUS OF CAROL HOY, MOTHER OF BRITISH CYCLIST CHRIS HOY, POSING WITH OLYMPIC MASCOT (SOUNDBITE) (English) CAROL HOY, MOTHER OF BRITISH CYCLIST CHRIS HOY, SAYING; "It's very exciting, and wonderful to be here in London, on a sunny day, beautiful buildings. The fact that Chris is carrying the flag in the opening ceremony is amazing, and I'm very excited about being here on home ground." GAO XIUYU, MOTHER OF LIN DAN, SHOWING PICTURE OF HIM ON HER PHONE GAO XIUYU TALKING PICTURE OF LIN DAN ON PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) GAO XIUYU, MOTHER OF CHINESE OLYMPIC BADMINTON CHAMPION LIN DAN, SAYING: "I think this year he should be fine, because no matter what happens, he's already experienced the Olympics, and won everything. So now we just have to see his frame of mind. Ultimately, now his biggest enemy is himself, if he can maintain the right frame of mind then all he need to do play each match as well as he can" VARIOUS OF OLYMPIC MOTHERS POSING WITH OLYMPIC MASCOT (SOUNDBITE) (English) ILEANA LOCHTE, MOTHER OF U.S. SWIMMER RYAN LOCHTE, SAYING; "I brought ponchos, lots of ponchos. I think I brought 10 of them for my family. So I'm ready. But it doesn't matter, it'll be good anyway." P&G NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARK PRITCHARD, GLOBAL BRAND BUILDING OFFICER P&G, SAYING; "Behind every winning athlete is an amazing Mum, a Mum that's been with them every step of the way, all the way through their lives, and helping them get there, to their Olympic dreams." ILEANA LOCHTE WIPING EYES AUDIENCE APPLAUDING OLYMPIC MOTHERS LIN DAN'S MOTHER WAVES TO AUDIENCE VARIOUS OF LONDON EYE VIEW OF RIVER THAMES, PARLIAMENT
  • Embargoed: 9th August 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: People,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9L8E7N307BLXHSMNZY2E3H6F3
  • Story Text: Proud mothers of Olympic stars gathered in London on Wednesday (July 25), confident of their children's preparation, and ready for the Games to begin.
    Ileana Lochte, mother of U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte, was among a group representing the families of 150 athletes. Her son faces a potentially titanic clash with Michael Phelps in the pool, and said she said her son was ready for the challenge.
    "He's very excited and he just wants it to start, you know, he's so ready for it, and I know he's put in all the hard training, so even if he doesn't make first place, I know that he's put in the work and he's trying 100 percent," Lochte told Reuters.
    Carol Hoy, mother of British cycling Olympic gold medallist Chris Hoy, said she was looking forward to seeing her son carry the Team GB flag at the opening ceremony on Friday (July 27) night.
    "It's very exciting, and wonderful to be here in London, on a sunny day, beautiful buildings. The fact that Chris is carrying the flag in the opening ceremony is amazing, and I'm very excited about being here on home ground."
    Gao Xiuyu, mother of one of China's biggest sporting stars, badminton champion Lin Dan, expressed confidence in her son's ability to triumph once again.
    "I think this year he should be fine, because no matter what happens, he's already experienced the Olympics, and won everything. So now we just have to see his frame of mind. Ultimately, now his biggest enemy is himself, if he can maintain the right frame of mind then all he need to do play each match as well as he can," she said.
    The long-delayed arrival of summer in London was met with delight by the Olympic parents. But even if the rain returns, Ileana Lochte said she was prepared.
    "I brought ponchos, lots of ponchos. I think I brought 10 of them for my family. So I'm ready. But it doesn't matter, it'll be good anyway," she said.
    The mothers from around the world were brought together by one of the primary Olympic sponsors as part of their promotional campaign.
    "Behind every winning athlete is an amazing Mum, a Mum that's been with them every step of the way, all the way through their lives, and helping them get there, to their Olympic dreams," said Mark Pritchard, the Global Brand Building Officer at P&G.
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