Local athletes participating in the Summer Olympics
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MEGAN RAPINOEEvent: Soccer; Position: Midfielder
Local affiliation: Redding
One of the great sports figures to come out of Redding, Rapinoe is one of Team USA's best craftiest players. A midfielder, the 5-foot-7 Rapinoe saw the early part of her career stalled by knee injuries, but over the past year or so she has developed into a true scoring threat for the USA. She set up the clinching goal in second leg of the USA's two-game playoff series against Italy to earn a berth to the Women's World Cup and can strike on goal equally well with both feet. Though Rapino, whose nickname is "Pinoe," played basketball and ran track in high school, she opted for club soccer with the Elk Grove Pride of the Women's Premier Soccer League. She also has an extensive professional resume, including stints with the Chicago and Philadelphia franchises of Women's Professional Soccer league. She currently plays for the Seattle Sounders of the United Soccer Leagues W-League. An honor student throughout high school, Rapinoe attended Portland University, where she was joined by her soccer-playing twin, Rachael.
Olympic result: Rapinoe was a star for the U.S. women, who won the gold medal with a 2-1 victory over Japan. She played a major role in the Americans' semifinal victory, scoring two goals in the their 4-3 victory over Canada. -
Rapinoe, left, shows the form that led to two goals against Canada during a 4-3 American victory that put Rapinoe and the U.S. into Thursday's gold-medal match against Japan. -
HALEY ANDERSONEvent: 10-kilometer open water swim
Local affiliation: Granite Bay
Born Nov. 20, 1991, in Santa Clara, Anderson attended Granite Bay High School. A versatile swimmer, Anderson's specialty is open water, and in the Olympics she will swim the 10 kilometer race, the only American in that event. Haley is from a swimming family, and her sister Alyssa, an Arizona senior, qualified to swim the 800 freestyle relay in London. Haley Anderson is a junior at USC. "To qualify for the London Olympics is amazing, I'm speechless," Anderson said. "I called my dad after the race and said 'I did it.' But that was about all I can get out of my mouth."
Olympic result: In perhaps the greatest performance of her career, Anderson won the silver medal in the 10K marathon, finishing .4 seconds behind winner Eva Risztov of Russia, whose time of 1 hour, 57 minutes, 38.2 seconds barely eclipsed Anderson's 1:57:38.6 in the open-water competition at London's Hyde Park. Anderson joins as a medalist her sister Alyssa, who was part of the U.S. team that won the 800 meter relay gold medal. -
ALYSSA ANDERSON(* pictured right)
Event: 800-meter freestyle relay
Local affiliation: Granite Bay
Anderson became a 16-time All-American during four years at Arizona, ending this spring when she was named the Wildcats’ co-Senior Woman of the Year. An Arizona team captain, she is school-record holder in the 500 freestyle, won a Pac-10 individual championship in 2009, swam the second-fastest 200 I.M. in school history, was member of the U.S. National team member for two seasons and a former U.S. National Junior Team member. Anderson qualified for the 2012 Olympics, based on a strong performance in the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials, her first, as member of the 800-meter relay team. Alyssa will join her sister Haley, who will compete in London in the 10-kilometer open-water race.
Olympic result: Anderson earned a gold medal as part of the winning 800-meter relay team. She swam a strong leg in the qualifying heat for the Americans, then gave way to teammates Missy Franklin, Dana Vollmer, Shannon Vreeland and Allison Schmitt, who won the finals in Olympic-record time of 7:42.92. -
MARY WHIPPLEEvent: Rowing, women’s 8; Position: Coxswain
Local affiliation: Sacramento
Whipple's Olympic credentials are well established, built on the gold medal she and her women's 8 teammates won in the 2008 Olympics and the silver they took in 2004. At 5-foot-3 and 108 pounds, Whipple has been a solid presence as one of the great coxswains in the sport. She has held what she calls the "9th seat" for the American team for 10 years and has been a coxswain in the sport for 17 years. In addition to Olympic success, Whipple has been aboard for world championships in 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2011. Since Beijing. Whipple has been coaching and also started a Website called 9th Seat, where she interacts with fans through her blogs, coxing tips, question and answer sessions, and coaching lessons. After graduating from Sacramento Adventist Academy, Whipple attended Washington, while her twin Sister, Sarah, went to UC Davis, where she was coxswain for the crew that won a Division II championship.
Olympic result: Whipple received the biggest cheer as medals were handed out after the U.S. women's eight won the gold medal, its second consecutive Olympic victory and a continuance of the team's six-year dominance in the event. -
U.S. rowers throw Whipple into the water after winning the women's eight gold medal in Eton Dorney. -
JAKE VARNER(* pictured left)
Event: Freestyle wrestling, 96kg
Local affiliation: Two-time California state high school champion
A four-time NCAA Division I finalist and two-time NCAA Division I Champion, Varner has continued to focus on Olympic success even after leaving Iowa State. He made a name for himself as a two-time California state high school champion had his post-graduation ticket punched: It was just a matter of where it was to. Most accomplished college wrestlers choose to leave the sport completely. Many choose to go into mixed martial arts. Varner decided instead to pursue the ultimate dream of winning an Olympic medal.
Olympic result: Varner won gold by defeating Valerii Andriitsev of Ukraine 3-0 in the championship match. Varner (pictured, left, celebrating after winning gold) advanced to the final round by beating George Gogshelidze of Georgia 3-1. -
NICOLE DAVISEvent: Volleyball; Postition: Libero
Local affiliation: Stockton
Born Nicole Marie Davis on April 24, 1982, in Stockton. Davis is a libero on the U.S. volleyball team, a position specializing in receiving the opposing team's serves and touching the ball as often as possible to set up teammates. Davis, holder of a karate black belt, is a well-rounded athlete. She helped USC win back-to-back NCAA Division I volleyball championships in 2002 and 2003, graduating in 2006.
Olympic result: After strong play by Davis (receiving her silver medal during the Olympic awards ceremony) helped her team cruise through the competition, including a 3-0 victory over Korea in the semifinals, the favored Americans lost to Brazil in the gold-medal match, falling 3-1, ending a long string of U.S. domination. -
Logan Tom and Davis (6) of the United States can't control a shot by Brazil in the gold-medal volleyball match. won by Brazil 3-1. -
JAMIE NIETOEvent: High jump
Local affiliation: Valley High school, Sacramento City College
Born Nov. 2, 1976, Nieto attended Valley High school and Sacramento City College, where he developed into one of the nation's best high jumpers. He attended Eastern Michigan University and was a three-time All-American in track. London will be his second Olympic competition after finishing first in the U.S. Trials with a jump of 7 feet, 5 3/4 inches. He finished fourth in Athens in 2004, then failed to qualify for the 2008 team in Beijing. He has a personal best jump of 7 feet, 8 inches. Nieto is listed as 6-4, 185 pounds. In addition to his track success, Nieto has found roles as an actor.
Olympic result: Nieto had one of his best-ever performances in finishing sixth in the finals, jumping 2.29 meters (7 feet, 6 inches). His height was third-best, but he needed two attempts to clear it. Russian's Ivan Ukhov jumped 2.38 meters to win gold, American Erik Kynard (2.33 meters) earned silver, and Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar, Derek Drouin of Canada and Robert Grabarz all were awarded bronze for clearing 2.29 meters on their first attempt. -
Nieto does a back flip after his last attempt of the night in the men's high jump. For the second time, he came painfully close to earning a medal, matching his near miss in 2004 in Athens. -
BECKY HOLLIDAYEvent: Pole vault
Local affiliation: Penryn
Born March 12, 1980, in Penryn, Holliday took up pole vaulting while attending Reed High school in Sparks, Nev. Advancing quickly, the former gymnast set a Nevada state record. She improved through a stint in community college, then blossomed into one of the nation’s best at University of Oregon, from which she graduated in 2003. To qualify for the 2012 Olympics, she cleared 14-11, finishing second in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials behind U.S. record-holder Jenn Suhr. At age 32, Holliday recognizes the opportunity she has given herself: "It's been a long career. I've been vaulting for 15 years. It takes a long time in these technical events to get it right," she told The Oregonian newspaper.
Olympic result: Holliday finished ninth in the finals, clearing 4.45 meters on three attempts. The gold medal went to American Jenn Suhr, who bested silver medalist Yarisley Silva of Cuba and upset favored Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia, the defending Olympic gold medalist. -
Holliday moves on after a successful vault during the women's pole vault competition at athletics in the Olympic Stadium on Aug. 6. -
DEREK MILESEvent: Pole vault
Local affiliation: Bella Vista High School
Born Sept. 28, 1972. When not competing, Miles can be found at his alma mater, University of South Dakota, where he is finishing his 10th season as an assistant coach, working primarily with pole vaulters and jumpers. Miles had a successful college career in both athletics and academics. He competed in pole vault, hurdles, long jump and the decathlon. Miles finished second in the pole vault in the NCAA Division II Championships as a senior. Following completion of his undergraduate degree in history, he stayed at South Dakota and earned his masters in athletic administration in 1998. His favorite hobby is paragliding, something that he picked up from fellow pole vaulter and training partner Tye Harvey. Miles married his wife Tori, who is also a South Dakota grad, in 2004.
Olympic result: Miles had a rough experience during qualifying, failing to clear the opening height of 17 feet and not making it to the next round. -
KIM CONLEY(* pictured left)
Event: 5,000-meters
Local affiliation: UC Davis
Born March 14, 1986, and resides in West Sacramento. Running faster than she ever ran a 5,000-meter race, Conley qualified for the U.S. team by making a furious final kick and finishing third in the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., in June. It was one of the biggest surprises in qualifying this year considering Conley graduated from UC Davis in 2009 without having secured a professional sponsorship, forcing her to train while working. She is an assistant track coach for UCD and trains with Sacramento Running Association. Her performance gives the region one of its most inspiring rooting interests in the London Olympics.
Olympic result: As she did in the race that qualified her for the Olympics, Conley ran a new personal best in her 5,000-meter heat, clocking in at 15:14.48, good for 12th in her field of runners but not fast enough to reach the finals. -
Conley celebrates after earning her unlikely spot on the U.S. Olympic team. -
SCOTT WELTZEvent: 200-meter breaststroke
Local affiliation: UC Davis
Weltz qualified for the Olympics by winning the 200 breaststroke during the U.S. Trials. A native of San Jose, Weltz followed graduation from Bellarmine High School with a trip to UC Davis, from which he graduated in 2010. In addition to his performance in the 200, Weltz finished fourth in the 100 breaststroke, nearly qualifying in two events. The 2012 Trials were his second after competing in 2008, when he swam the 400 individual medley (30th), 200 breast (38th), 200 IM (65th) and 400 freestyle (67th). He captured silver medals at the 2005 Junior Nationals in the 200 and 400 IM. Weltz said he started swimming at age 7, “Because it was fun, had friends on the team and I wanted to burn off energy."
Olympic result: Weltz finished fifth in the 200m breaststroke, coming in at 2:09.02, 1.74 seconds behind winner Daniel Gyurta of Hungary. Weltz had the best finish by an American in the race and finished ahead of teammate Clark Burckle, 2:09.25. -
Weltz's performance in the Olympic Trials showed that his hard training and persistence was not in vain. -
CHLOE SUTTONEvent: 400-meter freestyle
Local affiliation: Roseville
By qualifying for the U.S. team in the 400-meter freestyle, Sutton, who competed 10-kilometer open-water race in Beijing in 2008, became the first American swimmer to make Olympic teams in both open-water and pool competitions. Sutton, who lived in Roseville, did not compete in high school swimming, graduating from University of Nebraska Independent Study program in 2010 and instead of swimming collegiately, swam with her Mission Viejo club. She has extensive international experience and has won a total of five medals in major international competition: three gold, one silver and one bronze spanning the Open Water Championships, the Pan Pacific Championships, and the Pan American Games. Sutton’s father, David, is a U.S. Air Force officer who was in the Pentagon at the time of the Sept. 11 attacks and is a former football player who played for the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Olympic result: Sutton finished second in her heat of the 400m freestyle, clocking in at 4:07.07, which was not fast enough to qualify her for the finals. The gold medal went to France's Camille Muffat (4:01.45), followed by silver medalist American Allison Schmitt (4:01.77) and bronze medalist Rebecca Adlington of Great Britain (4:03.01). -
STEPHANIE BROWN TRAFTONEvent: Discus
Local affiliation: Galt
Born Dec. 1, 1979, Brown-Trafton, a Galt native, made history in 2008, becoming the first American woman to win the Olympic gold medal in the discus since Lillian Copeland's victory in 1932. Threw her best mark (212 feet, 5 inches) on her first attempt, and no one came within a meter through the rest of competition. Ending the 76-year gold draught in her event brought Brown-Trafton, who generates tremendous leverage from her 6-foot-4 frame, to the forefront of American track and field and garnered her the Jesse Owens Award as the top female athlete of the year. Brown-Trafton finished first in the 2012 U.S. Trials, with a throw of 213-10, , nearly 9 1/2 feet ahead of second place.and her husband enjoying hunting for recreation. She wanted to be an Olympian since she was 4 years old when her father bought her a Mary Lou Retton leotard.
Olympic result: Brown Trafton threw 63.01 meters (206.73 feet) in the finals, good for eighth place in competition won by Sandra Perkovic of Croatia, who threw 69.11 meters. Silver went to Darya Pishchalnikova of Russia, and Bronze went to Li Yanfeng of China, -
JILL CAMARENA-WILLIAMSEvent: Shot put
Local affiliation: Woodland High School, Stanford
Born March 2, 1982, in Woodland. Camarena-Williams attended Woodland High school and Stanford, where she graduated in 2004 after setting the U.S. indoor shot put record for women (66 feet, 3.25 inches) and tied the outdoor record (66-2.5). Qualifying first in the U.S. Trials with a throw of 62 feet, 10 1/2 inches,she will make London her second Olympics, following the 2008 Beijing games, where she finished 12th. Married to Dustin Williams, who will also be in London as a member of Team USA's medical staff, Camarena-Williams has had some of her best performances since undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disc in her back in 2008. Camarena-Williams gained All-America honors while at Woodland High School where she won the 2000 California state discus title and the 1999 state shot put crown.
Olympic result: Camarena-Williams got nowhere close to her personal best, throwing 18.22 meters (59.78 feet) in the qualifying round, a distance that did not get her to the finals. Gold went to Belarus' Nadzeya Ostapchuk (21.36 meters), silver to Valerie Adams of New Zealand, and bronze to Evgeniia Kolodko of Russia. -
JAMES WILLIAMSEvent: Fencing, saber
Local affiliation: Sacramento
Williams, whose hometown is Sacramento,and who graduated from Rio Americano High School in 2003, is on his second U.S. Olympic team, having been part of the silver medal-winning saber team in Beijing in 2008. He competed in three matches during the gold medal bout against France. Williams, 6-foot-2 and 168 pounds, won national championships in 2012 and has been ranked as high as 18th in the world. A graduate of Columbia University, he earned bachelor's degree in U.S. history and Russian and a master's degree in Slavic cultures. Currently living in New York City, he is ranked third in the U.S. and 32nd in the world in saber. Williams twice was named second-team All-America at Columbia, was two-time team captain and won the Ivy League Championships three times. He was quoted in a published interview as citing these goals for his second Olympics: "I'd like to go clothing shopping. . . . Visit a couple pubs. . . . Win another medal. I want to develop a passable British accent by the time I return home."
Olympic result: Williams drew a first-round bye, then lost in the round of 32 to Russia's Nikolay Kovalev 15-12. -
KATIE DAVISEvent: Paralympics, Judo, +70kg
Local affiliation: Sacramento hometown
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CHRISTELLA GARCIAEvent: Paralympics, Judo, 70kg
Local affiliation: Sacramento hometown
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