Claim to fame: Which Olympians have ties to your town?
The road to the Olympics is long and difficult — and likely to cross state lines. Find out which athletes have passed through your town or city on their way to athletic stardom.
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Local legends — acclaimed artists, celebrities or politicians — are a source of pride for U.S. small towns. And this summer welcomes an opportunity for a new generation of hometown heroes to form as Team USA athletes head to Paris for the 2024 Olympics.
States like Maryland, home to Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky, claim some of America's most accomplished athletes. But Olympians don't usually live in their hometowns forever — only one-third of this year's Team USA still live in the town where they grew up.
Most Olympians disperse throughout the country in search of top-notch training facilities, professional teams or college athletics.
California is the most popular destination for this year's Team USA. Part of the Golden State's appeal may be the athletic opportunities at its universities.
The top four schools that have enrolled members of this year's Olympic team are in California, with Stanford University (37 athletes) at number one.
Although Olympians may relocate countless times throughout their lives, the towns which they inhabit are not likely to forget them. A local athletic legend is surely reason enough to tune into this year's Games.
Hero from Home
We asked some of Team USA’s biggest names who from their hometowns made the biggest impact on them. Then we went to meet their heroes in person.
Team USA’s Alex and Gretchen Walsh appear destined for the water. Alex says their love for swimming started with their competitive swim coach Terry Lowe, who taught them that above all else, the sport should be fun.
Before he was a world-class athlete in shot put and discus, Team USA’s Ryan Crouser was learning about the value of sportsmanship from his high school basketball coach, Tom Johnson: “He did so much for me in terms of just preparing me for for the next steps in life and in being a successful athlete and being a better person, a better teammate, a better friend.”
Before Kelly Cheng became a beach volleyball player for Team USA, she was a lanky middle schooler trying her hand at basketball. When her coach Craig Tefertiller spotted her in the crowd, her life completely changed.
Growing up, Sunny Choi always dreamed of going to the Olympics for gymnastics. This year, Choi is heading to the Paris Games as one of Team USA’s first-ever breakers with the help of her performance coach, Carl Paoli.
Team USA’s Gabby Thomas may have a Harvard degree, two Olympic medals and a career in epidemiology, but the track and field star says she owes a lot of her success to her high school math teacher and track coach, Martha McCullagh.
Team USA’s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has broken the world record in 400-meter hurdles five times in her athletic career – but years ago, she got her start racing the boys at recess and practicing getting off the blocks with her 4th grade teacher, Mr. Tennant: “He always had his bets on me.”