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The Olympians (2002 - 2006)
The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but
to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph,
but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered, but to
have fought well.
2006 Torino |
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 www.groms.tv |
Torah Bright Snowboarding |
"Religion is my life," says Bright, a Mormon. "It's hard
when I am on the road because I go to church every Sunday." I can go six
weeks and not make it because I am traveling or am in another country but I
always have my scriptures handy and I read a lot. "It keeps me grounded and
gives me a purpose to what I am doing."Mormon Athlete Personifies Traits of Mormon Youth
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Religion gives Olympian Bright a boost |
 Desert News |
Michele Despain Luger |
Hoeger's dad was born and raised in Venezuela, and Hoeger is also a dual citizen. He and his dad competed in luge for Venezuela in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, fulfilling a lifelong dream for Hoeger's dad. | Dual-citizen athlete to race luge for Argentina |
 www.nrk.no |
Werner Hoeger Luge |
Between the two of them, Latter-day Saint father and son Werner and Chris have set a few Olympic records. For one, Werner was the oldest male competitor at the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Games, and will be for the upcoming Torino games as well. They were also the first father and son to compete against each other in the same event at the same Olympics. | Winning at Luging Latter-day Saint father and son Werner and Chris have set a few Olympic records. |
 www.nbcolympics.com |
Steve Nyman | Nyman is a Mormon, and he says "it's been tough to uphold my standards" on the party-hard skiing circuit. He says he enjoys going out with friends to celebrate good performances but that he's not one of the guys who will stay out past 2 a.m. "I feel confident with who I am and what I believe in," | |
 www.nbcolympics.com |
Shauna Rohbock US Bobsled Pilot |
Born in Provo, Utah and raised in Orem, Shauna has been
athletic all of her life. She grew up playing soccer and ran track and field
as a youngster. As a student-athlete at BYU, she was named All-American in
both soccer and in track and field as an heptathalete--twice in both sports
She won a silver metal in the 2006 Olympics
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Keep
This Soldier Home
Click on the screen watch a film on NBC about Shauna 2006 Winter Olympics - Rival Films with Shauna Rohbock - 6 min 6 sec - www.nbcolympics.com |
 Light up the Land: Commemorative Music CD of the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games 2002 Salt Lake City |
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Rowena Bright skier (Australia) 2002 Salt Lake City |
"There is an amazing amount of people here supporting me. Volunteers have heard or read about me and they're always wishing me good luck and telling me they're behind me. It's not quite the same as what the Sydney athletes would have felt in the (2000 Olympics) but it's got that sort of feeling for me. This is my spiritual home I guess and I'm just inspired by how the place was founded, with the pioneers risking their lives to get here. When I first heard that this was where the Winter Games would be, I decided then that this was the Olympics I would like to be at." | Aussie LDS Olympian 'At Home' at SLC Games |
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Dinah Browne luge (US Virgin Islands) 2002 Salt Lake City |
The first black female Olympian to compete in the luge.
"I
thought: 'Wow, I never planned this!'" said Dinah, a 32-year-old
English
teacher. |
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 Photo: Sports Illustrated |
Werner Hoeger and Chris Hoegers luge (Venezuela) 2002 Salt Lake City |
Boise's father-son team is a first for Winter Games.
Hoegers just looking for 4 good starts.
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Two Cool |
| Gea Johnson bobsled (USA) 2002 Salt Lake City |
"[The] opening ceremonies reflected my pride of family,
country... Then, of course, there's the Mormons, and I'm LDS. |
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 Photo: ESPN |
Joe Pack ski jump (USA) silver 2002 Salt Lake City |
LDS Athlete List by Kelly Martinez, Meridian Magazine, 05 Dec 2003 | |
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| Sabine Ruckauer and Stephanie Wartosch hockey (Germany) 2002 Salt Lake City |
Sisters | ||
| Tamami Tanaka biathlon (Japan) 2002 Salt Lake City |
"It is not usual with Chinese and one Japanese ladies
among the four best competitors in biathlon, but today [22 Feb 2002]
Tamami Tanaka followed as fourth. Unfortunately her only miss was her
final shot." Source: International Biathlon Union |
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2004 Athens |
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 Photo: California Bears |
Megan Dirkmaat rowing (USA) silver 2004 Athens |
From San Jose, California, Sister Dirkmaat was part of the U.S. crew that placed second in the 22 Aug women's eight finals.
The Americans finished 1.86 seconds behind gold-medalists of Romania.
Source: LDS athletes mine Oly 'metals', LDS Church News Archives, 28 Aug 2004. |
Rower winds silver medal By Dana Lynn Flatekval, Windsor Heights Herald 27 Aug 2004 |
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Lucia Fernanda Palerma rowing (Argentina) 2004 Athens |
She was eliminated in lightweight double skulls heats.
Source: LDS athletes mine Oly 'metals', LDS Church News Archives, 28 Aug 2004. |
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 Photo: US Diving |
Rachelle Smith-Kunkel diving (USA) 2004 Athens |
From West Valley High School. She started diving in high school. She dove for Brigham young University.
Professionally, she works as a labor and delivery nurse. Source: Labor and Delivery by Kelly L. Martinez, Meridian Magazine, 27 may 2003 |
LDS Athlete List by Kelly Martinez, Meridian Magazine, 05 Dec 2003 |
 Photo: Runners World |
Tiffany Lott-Hogan track and field (USA) 2004 Athens |
In 1997, she flew past five hurdles and 55 meters in 7.30 seconds
(faster than Jackie Joyner-Kersee has ever done it) to claim the world best title.
In 2004, she finished 20th in the women's heptathlon in Athens.
Source: LDS athletes mine Oly 'metals', LDS Church News Archives, 28 Aug 2004. |
Lott-Hogan feature By Beky Beaton, the Daily Herald, Provo, Utah, 09 Aug 2004 |
 Photo: UCLA Buins |
Tairia Mims Flowers softball (USA) gold 2004 Athens |
Team USA went undefeated, giving up only one run during the Games. Sister Mims Flowers is from Tucson, Arizona.
Source: LDS athletes mine Oly 'metals', LDS Church News Archives, 28 Aug 2004. |
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 Photo: Matthew Linde |
John Nunn track and field (USA) 2004 Athens |
He finished 26th in 20km race walk.
Source: LDS athletes mine Oly 'metals', LDS Church News Archives, 28 Aug 2004. |
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 Photo: USA Track and Field |
James Parker track and field (USA) 2004 Athens |
He served a mission from 1996-1997.
At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, he was eliminated in the hammer throw semifinal.
Source: LDS athletes mine Oly 'metals', LDS Church News Archives, 28 Aug 2004. |
USA Track and Field |
 Photo: Go Stanformd |
Grant Robison track and field (USA) 2004 Athens |
He was eliminated in 1,500 meters semifinals.
Source: LDS athletes mine Oly 'metals', LDS Church News Archives, 28 Aug 2004. |
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Mosiah Rodriguez gymnastics (Brazil) 2004 Athens |
He was eliminated during qualifying rounds of various individual events.
Source: LDS athletes mine Oly 'metals', LDS Church News Archives, 28 Aug 2004. |
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 Photo: Iowa State Cyclones |
Cael Sanderson wrestling (USA) gold 2004 Athens |
He is the only undefeated, four-time champion in NCAA history.
He graduated from Iowa State University.
He is the all time NCAA record holder in Division I with a career record of 159-0.&nbs[;
He won the gold medal in his weight class (74-84kg).
Source: Iowa State Cyclones Cael is the youngest, the tallest and the most successful wrestler of this Mormon trio. |
Washington Post |
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Jodi Tini basketball (New Zealand) 2004 Athens |
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Justin Wilcock diving (USA) 2004 Athens |
He was eliminated during 3-meter springboard preliminaries.
Source: LDS athletes mine Oly 'metals', LDS Church News Archives, 28 Aug 2004. |
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Paora Winitana basketball (New Zealand) 2004 Athens |
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Guard Young gymnastics (USA) silver 2004 Athens |
He is from Oklahoma city, Oklahoma.
His father, Wayne Young, was also an Olympian.
He has five sisters and on brother.
He is BYU's only all around champion gymnast.
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