Public Spark

Venues schedule

Archery

Brady Ellison is the youngest athlete, at age 20, to compete in this year’s US Olympic archery team.

Richard “Butch” Johnson has accumulated 46 national championships, two IPAA World Championships and won the gold medal in 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. He said he is proud of his own determination and control under pressure.

Khatuna Lorig will make her fourth Olympic appearance. She has won numerous medals including the Bronze medal in 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.

Jennifer Nichols This is her second Olympic appearance. In 2004, she was the youngest Olympic member of Olympic team in any sport.

Victor Wanderle understands that in order to be successful countless hours of practice are needed. He said, “Currently I am training full time towards the 2008 Olympics in China and I am shooting as well as ever…I have the Olympic Bronze. I have the Olympic Silver. Nothing would please me more than to bring the Olympic Gold back to the United States.”

Badmington

Howard Bach began playing badmington at the age of 10. He has played in multiple world championships and Pan American and has won gold medals. This is also his 2nd Olympic appearance.

This will be the first Olympic appearance athletes, Eva Lee, Raju Rai, Khan “Bob” Malaythong and Mesinee “May” Mangkalakiri.

Basketball

The women’s team is led by three time Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles Sparks) and two time Olympic gold medalist Katie Smith (Detroit Shock). Also playing on the team are 2004 Olympic gold medalists Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury) and Tina Thompson (Houston Comets); while Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx), Sylvia Fowles (Chicago Sky), Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks) and Cappie Pondexter (Phoenix Mercury) will participate in their first Olympic Games. The team will be led by head coach Anne Donavan.

The Men’s team will be led by Duke University Coach Mike Krzyzewski. The active 12 team roster are Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets), Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz), Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors), Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers), Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic), Lebron James (Cleveland Cavaliers), Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks), Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets), Tayshaun Prince (Detroit Pistons), Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks), Dwayne Wade (Miami Heat), and Deron Williams (Utah Jazz). Regarding the selection of this year’s olympic team, USA Managing director Jerry Colangelo said “when they put me in charge of the selction process, I promised the committee that I would not assemble a collection of selfish, self-centered superstars with no team concept.”

Boxing

The nine boxers representing the United States in Beijing are: light flyweight Luis Yanez (Duncanville, Texas); flyweight Rau’shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio); bantamweight Gary Russell, Jr. (Capitol Heights, Md.); featherweight Raynell Williams (Cleveland, Ohio); lightweight Sadam Ali (Brooklyn, N.Y.); light welterweight Javier Molina (Commerce, Calif.); welterweight Demetrius Andrade (Providence, R.I.); middleweight Shawn Estrada (E. Los Angeles, Calif.); and heavyweight Deontay Wilder (Tuscaloosa, Ala.). The team will be lead by Head Coach Dan Campbell (Colorado Springs, Colo.).

Fencing

Men’s team is comprised of Seth Kelsey (Epee), Geret Meinhardt (Foil), for Sabre: Keeth Smart, Timothy Morehouse, Jason Rogers, and James Williams.

Women’s team is comprised of Kelley Hurley (Epee), for Foil: Emily Cross, Erinn Smart, Hanna Thompson, and Doris Willette, for Sabre: Rebecca Ward, Sada Jacobson, Mariel Zagunis, Dagmara Wozniak.

Football

Women’s team includes gold medalists: Christie Rampone, Kate Markgraf, Heather Mitts, Lindsay Tarpley, Shannon Boxx, Angela Hucles, Heather O’Reilly, Aly Wagner and Abby Wambach. Coach Pia Sundhage describes the team as having “many players that have a lot of experience and are very competitive in practice.” She also said “They really show up for every training and want to perform every time they are on the field. It’s good to see them train at a level that is close to the game. For all the coaches, we want to make practices as game-like as possible, and I never had to get on them or yell at them to work hard. They push themselves in a very nice way and that is why it is difficult to pick a team.”

Men’s Team includes goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Chris Seitz (Real Salt Lake); defenders: Patrick Ianni (Houston Dynamo), Michael Orozco (San Luis), Michael Parkhurst (New England Revolution), Nathan Sturgis (Real Salt Lake), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC);midfielders: Freddy Adu (SL Benfica), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Benny Feilhaber (Derby County), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Danny Szetela (Brescia Calcio); forwards: Jozy Altidore (Villarreal), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF), Brian McBride (out of contract), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew).

Judo

For women’s the athletes are: Sayaka Matsumoto, Valerie Gotay, Ronda Rousey.

For the men’s: Taraje Williams-Murray, Taylor Takata, Ryan Reser, Travis Stevens, Brian Olson, Adler Volmar, and Daniel McCormick.

Rowing

The 45-person roster includes 10 multiple-time Olympians with six Olympic medals. Both Bryan Volpenhein and Paul Teti will be competing at their third Olympic Games. Other returning Olympians include Wyatt Allen, Anna Cummins, Caryn Davies, Michelle Guerette, Beau Hoopman, Jamie Schroeder, Patrick Todd and Mary Whipple. Allen and Hoopman were members of the men’s eight that won gold in 2004, while Cummins, Davies and Whipple were members of the women’s eight that won silver in Athens.

Sailing

The team includes Andrew Campbell (Laser), Anna Tunnicliffe (Laser radial), John Dane III/Austin Sperry (Star), Tim Wadlow (49ER), John Lovell/Charlie Ogletree (Tornado), Zach Railey (Finn), Ben Barger (RS:X Men), Nancy Rios (RS:X Women), Stuart McNay/ Graham Biehl (470 Combined Fleet), and Amanda Clark/ Sarah Mergenthaler (470 Combined fleet women).

“Sailing is a lifestyle sport and you need a lot of skills to make you good,” said Dawn Riley, past president of the Women’s Sports Foundation and a professional sailor. “Physical talent is important but that is just one aspect of it. The weather conditions are always changing. Whereas a slight puff of wind may not worry you in track and field sports, it can hugely effect you as a sailor, and the track doesn’t constantly move and shift.”

“Sailing in light weather conditions just turns the game to 90 percent mental and 10 percent strength,” said Olympian Carrie Howe. “Sailing is a game of chess. We have to factor in the moving ocean currents and changing wind conditions. We must also consider wind ‘blocks’ from other boats as our courses change to reach each mark. We may be sitting inside our Yngling, moving slow and steady but that won’t make the race any less exciting. And you never know, a typhoon may come through and it will be ‘hold on to your hats windy’.”

Shooting

Matt Emmons, Keith Sanderson, Jason Turner and Brenda Shinn are some of the members representing the U.S. on the 2008 Olympic team, each earned the National Title in their respective event today at the 2008 USA Shooting National Championships for Rifle/Pistol.

Swimming

There are 43 individuals that have been named to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team for Swimming.

On the men’s team: Mark Warkentin, Michael Phelps, Larsen Jensen, Brendan Hansen, Peter Vanderkaay, Ricky Berens, Klete Keller, Aaron Peirsol, Scott Spann, Garrett Weber-Gale, Jason Lezak, Cullen Jones, Nathan Adrian, Ryan Lochte, Mark Gangloff, Matt Grevers, Gil Stovall, Eric Shanteau, Ian Crocker, Ben Wildman-Tobriner, Erik Vendt, David Walters.

On the Women’s team: Chloe Sutton, Katie Hoff, Christine Magnuson, Natalie Coughlin, Jessica hardy, Allison Schmitt, Julia Smit, Caroline Burckle, Elaine Breeden, Kathleen Hersey, Elizabeth Beisel, Margaret Hoelzer, Megan Jendrick, Kate Ziegler, Rebecca Soni, Amanda Beard, Dara Torres, Lacey Nymeyer, Kim Vanderberg, Christine Marshall, Emily Silver.

Tennis

Three former gold medalists: Venus Williams, Serena Williams, and Lindsay Davenport, Liezel Huber will be playing on the women’s team.

James Blake, Sam Querrey and Robby Ginepri will lead the Men’s team.

Volleyball

USA Volleyball has announced the 12 athletes it has nominated to the 2008 U.S. Men’s Olympic Indoor Team that will compete in Beijing, pending confirmation by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The 12 nominated athletes are Lloy Ball (Woodburn, Ind.), Gabe Gardner (San Clemente, Calif.), Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.), Tom Hoff (Park Ridge, Ill.), Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.), David Lee (Alpine, Calif.), Ryan Millar (Palmdale, Calif.), Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.), Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.), Riley Salmon (League City, Texas), Clay Stanley (Honolulu) and Scott Touzinsky (St. Louis).

Water Polo

Women’s water polo team: Betsey Armstrong, Heather Petri, Brittany Hayes, Brenda Villa, Lauren Wenger, Natalie Golda, Patty Cardenas, Jessica Steffens, Elsie Windes, Alison Gregorka, Moriah van Norman, Kami Craig and Jaime Hipp

Men’s water polo team: Merrill Moses, Peter Varellas, Peter Hudnut, Jeff Powers, Adam Wright, Rick Merlo, Layne Beubien, Tony Azevedo, Ryan Bailey, Tim Hutten, Jesse Smith, JW Krumpholz, Brandon Brooks

Weightlifting

In order of ranking, men’s team and alternates include: Kendrick Farris of Shreveport, LA, 85kg; Chad Vaughn of Austin, TX, 77kg; Casey Burgener of Bonsall, CA, +105 kg; Lance Frye of Moorestown, NJ, 77kg. The women’s team and alternates, in order of ranking, include: Melanie Roach, 53 kg, of Bonney Lake, WA; Carissa Gump, 63 kg, of Colorado Springs, CO; Natalie Woolfolk, 63 kg of Colorado Springs, CO; Cheryl Haworth, +75 kg of Savannah, GA; Cara Heads, 69 kg of Shreveport, LA.