Tag Archives: International Olympic Committee

Mariana Pajón Among 32 Athletes Running for IOC Athletes’ Commission Elections in Paris

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Mariana Pajón is hoping to represent her fellow athletes…

The 32-year-old Colombian cyclist, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and BMX World Champion, is a candidate in elections at the 2024 Paris Games to represent their fellow athletes at the IOC.Mariana PajónThe International Olympic Committee announced the list of 32 candidates this week for elections to be held during the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris from July 26-August 11, when about 10,500 athletes are eligible to vote.

After being the flag-bearer for Colombia during the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Games, Pajón’s first participation in the BMX event resulted in the first gold medal for Colombia during the 2012 games and the second overall in Colombia’s participation in the Olympics.

In the 2016 Rio Games Pajón defended her title and won her second Olympic gold medal and fifth overall for Colombia. With this victory, Pajón became the first Colombian athlete to win two gold medals.

In the 2020 Tokyo Games, Pajón won silver.

But Pajon isn’t the only Latinx athlete in the running…

Kahena Kunze, a 32-year-old Brazilian Olympic sailor, is also a candidate. Together with Martine Grael she won the 49er FX class at the 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships and a gold medal in the inaugural 49er FX race, during the 2016 Rio Games, a feat both repeated at 2020 Tokyo Games.

Other Latinx candidates include Salvadoran sailor Enrique Arathoon, who competed at the 2016 Rio Games and 2020 Tokyo Games; Mexican pentathlon athlete Emiliano Hernandez Uscanga; Puerto Rican judoka Melissa Mojica Rosario, who competed at the 2012 London Games, 2016 Rio Games and 2020 Tokyo Games; and Argentine judoka Paula Belén Pareto, who won a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Games.

Four positions are up for election.

Carmelo Anthony & His USA Basketball Teammates to Be Featured in “The Redeem Team” Olympic Documentary

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It’s a redemption story for Carmelo Anthony and his fellow USA Basketball teammates…

Netflix has partnered with the International Olympic Committee for The Redeem Team—a new documentary looking at the U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball team’s iconic victory of 2008, featuring the 38-year-old Puerto Rican professional basketball player and his teammates.

Carmelo AnthonyThe Redeem Team will be released globally on the streamer on October 7th.

Using unprecedented Olympic footage and behind-the-scenes material, The Redeem Team tells the story of the U.S Olympic Men’s Basketball Team’s quest for gold at the 2008 Beijing Games following the previous team’s shocking, low-point performance four years earlier in Athens.

The documentary offers a portrait of team building and features interviews with athletes and coaches from Dwyane Wade and LeBron James to Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski, who reflect on how The Redeem Team set a new standard for American basketball.

The Redeem Team is an Olympic Channel, Kennedy/Marshall Company & Mandalay Sports Media production in association with 59th and Prairie Entertainment, Uninterrupted, NBA Entertainment & USA Basketball.

The project marks Netflix’s first collaboration with the Olympic Channel—the media studio owned and operated by the IOC—and also marks the Olympic Channel’s first time producing a film exclusively for a global streaming service.

Skydance Sports’ Jon Weinbach directed the doc, with Greg Groggel and Diego Hurtado De Mendoza producing.

“The Redeem Team represents the very best of what the Olympics are all about,” said Olympic Channel Services GM, Mark Parkman. “This film will bring viewers directly inside that team and the Olympic Games Beijing 2008 by showcasing the personality and dynamics of a special group of superstars who came together as one to reclaim basketball supremacy on the biggest stage in sports.”

“In 2008, I played with heroes of mine, all stars, friends and future teammates. Outside of winning and showing the world that we were still the most dominant, our other big challenge was changing the perception of what everyone thought about the NBA and USA Basketball!” added Wade. “I’m excited for everyone to get an opportunity to go behind the scenes and see all the work that went into this iconic team — The Redeem Team!”

In addition to Anthony, the 2008 USA Basketball team included Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Tayshaun Prince, Michael Redd, Dwyane Wade and Deron Williams.

Victor Santos Among Featured Athletes in Olympic Channel’s Docu-Series “Far From Home”

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Victor Santos is Home bound…

Ahead of this week’s start of the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, the Olympic Channel will debut its original documentary series, Far From Home, chronicling the stories behind some of the most unlikely athletes at the Winter Games, including the 20-year-old Brazilian Olympic cross-country skater.

Victor Santos

The six-episode documentary s debuts today on the channel’s digital platform worldwide. Shot over eight months and produced by Boardwalk Pictures, WZRD Media and Madica Productions, it traces a group of athletes facing financial, personal and cultural hurdles as they attempt to qualify.

Each episode follows the incredible journey of an athlete who must balance their personal lives with grueling training regimens and competitions, including Santos and figure skater Julian Yee who will represent Malaysia at its first-ever Olympic Winter Games.

“Every athlete dreams of going to the Olympics, but coming from a tropical country into winter sports, I didn’t even think I would make it,” said Yee who trains inside of a busy shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur. “Knowing that you, as one person, are able to bring a country together is a great feeling.”

“Far From Home highlights the incredible efforts and sacrifices that athletes are willing to make to achieve their dream of competing in an Olympic Winter Games,” said Mark Parkman, General Manager of the International Olympic Committee’s global Olympic Channel. “No matter what country you’re from, the passionate stories behind these unlikely winter heroes who are bringing their PyeongChang experiences closer to their home countries, are sure to relate to all audiences.”

The series also features Shiva Keshavan, who is heading to his sixth Olympic Winter Games, and is the first Indian athlete to compete in luge event. Further highlighted are women’s ice hockey player Sojung Shin from Korea; alpine skier Forough Abbasi from Iran; and the first women’s bobsleigh team of Carrie Russell and Jazmine Fenlator from Jamaica. The Jamaican national team having first risen to global fame in its 1988 debut appearance in Calgary, inspiring the 1993 Jon Turtletaub movie Cool Runnings.

The Olympic Channel also said today that it has entered a multi-year agreement with Snap Inc in support of its objective to engage new audiences and younger generations with the Olympic Movement. The deal provides Snap with Olympic Channel original programming for shows on Snapchat’s Discover page, and assets for creative tools. In addition, Snapchat will produce Our Stories featuring archival footage provided by the Olympic Channel team, in collaboration with Olympic rights-holding broadcasters, during PyeongChang 2018.

Fernandez Inducted Into U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame

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She may not be competing at this year’s Summer Olympics in London, but Lisa Fernandez still has plenty of reason to celebrate…

The 41-year-old half-Cuban/half-Puerto Rican softball star, a three-time gold medalist, has been inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, along with her 2004 U.S. Softball Team.

Lisa Fernandez

Dubbed the “Real Dream Team” on the cover of Sports Illustrated, the 2004 Olympic Team went 9-0 in Athens, a record that included eight consecutive shutouts and four run-rule victories. Along with Fernandez, the team roster included Latina players Crystl Bustos and Jessica Mendoza, as well as the team’s Latino head coach Mike Candrea.

Sports Illustrated Cover

Fernandez won gold medals in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 games and is the only pitcher ever to appear in three Olympic finales.

She earned the save in the final game of the 1996 Olympics as the U.S. team beat China 3-1 for her inaugural softball Olympic gold medal.

The U.S. team took the silver medal, losing gold to Japan, in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

In 2005 the International Olympic Committee voted to drop softball along with baseball from the Olympic program leaving the U.S. with three gold medals and Japan with one.

Softball advocates are trying to get the sport back by 2020, it won’t be played at the London games later this month or the Rio de Janeiro games in 2016.

Fernandez led the University of California, Los Angeles to the National Championship in softball during the 1990 and ’92 seasons, the Bruins softball team were runner ups during the ’91 and ’93 seasons.

She was a first team All-American during her four collegiate years at UCLA.

She currently serves as an assistant coach at her alma mater.