Sun Devils turn Olympics maroon and gold

The Beijing Olympic Games will feature 16 people with ties to ASU’s athletic department set to compete – or work with competitors that will compete – on the biggest stage in sport.

The Games unofficially began Aug. 6 with three women’s soccer matches at three different venues in China. The official opening ceremonies take place Aug. 8.

The Sun Devils will be represented by 11 competitors, including five in athletics (track and field), three in swimming, one in diving, one in men’s basketball and one in archery. ASU also will be represented by three coaches and two athletic trainers.

Ten different nations will be represented by the Sun Devil contingent, including Australia, Croatia, Finland, Ghana, Great Britain, Israel, Kuwait, the Netherlands, the United States and Zimbabwe.

Competing in Beijing will be four athletes that were on Sun Devil teams during the 2007-2008 season, including two in swimming, and two in track and field. Ante Cvitkovic (Croatia) and Mohammed Madwa (Kuwait) will compete in swimming, while Jacquelyn Johnson (United States) and Joel Phillip (Grenada) will be on the track.

Two current Sun Devil aquatic coaches also will be in Beijing, including head swimming coach Mike Chasson and diving coach Mark Bradshaw. Chasson will be coaching for Kuwait and working with Madwa, while Bradshaw will coach Joona Puhakka (Finland) in the 3-meter springboard event.

Others competing will be Seth Amoo (Ghana), Lewis Banda (Zimbabwe) and Trevell Quinley (United States) in track and field; Gal Nevo (Israel) in swimming; Shawn Redhage (Australia) in basketball; and Alison Williamson (Great Britain) in archery.

Williamson will be competing in her fifth Olympiad and is ASU’s lone returning medalist (bronze, 2004), while Banda is the only other multiple-time Olympian, as he is set for his second competition.

Former Sun Devil softball head coach Linda Wells is returning to the Games for her second Olympiad in a row and will serve as an assistant coach for the Netherlands team. Wells was the head coach of the Greek team in Athens in 2004.

A pair of former Sun Devil athletic trainers also will be on hand and working with U.S. athletes, including Casey Smith and Ian McLeod. Smith will serve as the head athletic trainer for the U.S. men’s basketball team, while McLeod will work with the swimming team.

For a closer look at ASU’s history in the Olympic Games, visit the Web site http://thesundevils.cstv.com/trads/asu-trads-olympians.html.

ASU’s Olympic “team”:

Athletes:
• Seth Amoo, Ghana, track and field, 200-meter dash.
• Lewis Banda, Zimbabwe, track and field, 400-meter dash.
• Ante Cvitkovic, Croatia, swimming, 400-meter medley relay.
• Jacquelyn Johnson, United States, track and field, heptathlon.
• Mohammed Madwa, Kuwait, swimming, 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle.
• Gal Nevo, Israel, swimming, 200-meter individual medley.
• Joel Phillip, Grenada, track and field, 400-meter dash.
• Joona Puhakka, Finland, diving, 3-meter springboard.
• Trevell Quinley, United States, track and field, long jump.
• Shawn Redhage, Australia, basketball.
• Alison Williamson, Great Britain, archery, individual 70 meters.

Coaches and trainers:
• Mark Bradshaw, Finland, diving, – coaching Puhakka.
• Mike Chasson, Kuwait, swimming – coaching Madwa.
• Ian McLeod, United States, swimming, athletic trainer.
• Casey Smith, United States, basketball, head athletic trainer (men).
• Linda, Wells, Netherlands, softball, assistant coach.