As of Thursday, July 26, 2012
© Copyright 2013
Gwinnett Daily Post
From left: Kibwe Johnson, Al-Farouq Aminu, Eric Shanteau, Maya Moore and Amanda Weir.
They swim, play basketball and participate in track and field. Three men, two women. One county. All Olympians.
When the 2012 Olympic games kick off with tonight’s opening ceremonies, Gwinnett will be well represented.
Maya Moore, a Collins Hill High grad, will be chasing gold as a member of the USA women’s basketball team. Parkview grad Eric Shanteau and Brookwood alum Amanda Weir will be swimming for Team USA while Kibwe Johnson, a former standout at North Gwinnett, competes in the hammer throw while representing the stars and stripes. Al-Farouq Aminu is in London, too, the former Norcross hoops star playing for the Nigerian national team.
“It is amazing for one county to have five Olympians. It speaks to the success of our programs, locally, national and now internationally. To have five from one system is really pretty impressive,” said Mike Emery, the county athletic director for Gwinnett County Public Schools. “It’s really the culmination of a lot of things: great athletes, great coaches, youth associations, supportive communities and parent involvement. It a whole combination of things … hard work of athletes is first and foremost. It’s a testament to the great support and everything we have in Gwinnett county.
“Each of these athletes has a great (personal) story too.”
Over the next two weeks, those five will add even more stories to their impressive careers as the locals go for gold in London.
WHEN TO WATCH
Al-Farouq Aminu — Basketball — Sunday, 4 a.m.
Kibwe Johnson — Track and field (hammer throw) — Aug. 3, 10 a.m.
Maya Moore — Basketball — Saturday, 11:30 a.m.
Eric Shanteau — Swimming (100-meter breaststroke) — Sunday, 11 a.m.
Amanda Weir — Brookwood — Swimming (400-meter freestyle relay) — Saturday, 8 p.m.
MORE ON THE WEB
Click HERE to check out the Daily Post's complete coverage of the 2012 Olympics, including Gwinnett athletes competing in the Summer Games.
More like this story
- CLINE: Looking forward to London ( July 10, 2012 )
- HAMMOCK: Moore, Aminu get to soak up Olympics, hoops ( July 25, 2012 )
- Norcross' Aminu helps Nigerian basketball team into Olympics ( July 9, 2012 )
- HAMMOCK: Gwinnett's Olympic hopefuls face Trials in the coming weeks ( June 13, 2012 )
- Relay delivers to give Shanteau an Olympic gold ( August 4, 2012 )
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