U.S. Olympic Heritage Athletes to be honored at 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials

Track and field Olympic Gold Medal winners will be present for their events



Eugene, Ore. – (June 15, 2012) ­­–– World-renowned athletes who made Olympic history will be honored at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field, the TrackTown 12 Local Organizing Committee announced Friday.



Most of the athletes will be honored in conjunction with the days their events will be held during the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. Athletes will be saluted with a video tribute and spectator recognition.



“The Heritage Athlete ceremonies are a unique way to connect the great history of the sport with the present day,” said Vin Lananna, co-chair of the TrackTown12 Local Organizing Committee.



The schedule for Olympic gold medalists to be honored in person at Hayward Field is:



Friday, June 22

Billy Mills – 1964 Men’s 10,000 meters

Joan Benoit Samuelson – 1984 Women’s marathon

Saturday, June 23

Wyomia Tyus – 1964 and 1968, Women’s 100 meters

Gail Devers – 1992 and 1996, Women’s 100 meters

Dick Fosbury – 1968 Men’s high jump

Sunday, June 24

Bob Beamon – 1968 Men’s long jump

Monday, June 25

Madeline Manning Mims – 1968 Women’s 800 meters

Thursday, June 28

Mac Wilkins – 1976 Men’s discus

Friday, June 29

Jackie Joyner-Kersee –1988 and 1992 heptathlon; 1988 Women’s long jump

Saturday, June 30

Roger Kingdom – 1984 and 1988 110 hurdles

Sunday, July 1

Carl Lewis – 1984 100 and 200 meters, long jump, 4x100 relay; 1988 100 meters



Al Oerter and Wilma Rudolph will also be honored posthumously. Oerter, four-time Olympic gold medal discus thrower in 1956, 1960, 1964 and 1968, will be represented by his wife, Cathy, on Thursday, June 28, just prior to the final in the men’s discus. Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games in 1960 (in the 100, 200 and 400 relay). She will be honored on Saturday, June 30, before the 200-meter women’s final.



Madeline Manning Mims, an accomplished singer who is the only American woman to have won an Olympic 800-meter title, will sing the National Anthem on her honorary day – June 25.