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Top 10 Summer Olympians From Connecticut

With the Olympic Games approaching, Patch ranks the best all-time summer Olympians from the state.

10. THE WINKLEVOSS TWINS: Cameron and Tyler are well-known for taking Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, to court for allegedly stealing their ideas for the social network. However, the longtime Greenwich residents built a name for themselves in the sport of rowing. They trained at the Saugatuck Rowing Club and competed at Harvard University before earning a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team. In the Beijing Games, Cameron and Tyler participated in the men's coxless pair rowing event, finishing sixth overall.

9. JAMES BLAKE: The Fairfield High School graduate and professional tennis player was a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team and competed in men's singles during the Beijing Games. Blake, winner of 10 titles during his career and ranked fourth in the world during his impressive run, beat Roger Federer in the quarterfinals of the Olympics, 6-4, 7-6. Federer was ranked number one in the world at the time. Blake went on to the bronze medal match where he lost to Serbia's Novak Djokovic, 4-6, 6-7.

8. CHARLES NAGY: The former UConn and star, made the 1988 U.S. Olympic baseball team that competed in the Seoul, South Korea games. It was a demonstration sport at the time, but and Team USA sure made it seem like the real thing. They torched the competition on their way to winning the gold medal. Nagy made two appearances and earned a save before embarking on a solid career with the Cleveland Indians. He's currently the pitching coach with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

7. MARIE CORRIDON: Corridon, who was raised in Norwalk, won a gold medal as an 18-year-old in the 1948 Olympic Games in London. Earlier that year, she became the first woman to break the one minute barrier in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 59.9. Corridon swam the first leg of the woman's 400-yard freestyle relay and helped the United States set a new world record with a time of 4:29:20.

6. CHARLES SMITH: In the last Olympics before NBA stars were allowed to compete, Smith, a former high school star at Warren Harding High School in Bridgeport, helped the U.S. win a bronze medal in the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul. The former Big East Player of the Year and All-American at the University of Pittsburgh went on to enjoy a solid NBA career.

5. JANEL JORGENSEN: After her junior year at , Jorgensen, then just 17-years old, made the 1988 U.S. Olympic team that competed in Seoul, South Korea. Swimming the butterfly leg of the 400-meter medley relay team, Jorgensen helped the U.S win the silver medal in the event. She also placed fifth in the 100-meter butterfly race. Jorgensen went on to become an All-American at Stanford University and is currently the executive director of Swim Across America, a foundation that raises money for cancer research through swimming events.

4. BUTCH JOHNSON: Considered one the best archers in the world, Johnson has been to the Summer Olympic Games five times. The Woodstock resident won a gold medal in the 1996 Games in Atlanta and a bronze medal in the 2000 Games in Australia. He's currently bidding to make the U.S. Olympic team for a sixth time.

3. KRISTINE LILLY: One of the most decorated players in the history of women's soccer, the former phenom competed in the Olympic Games on three occasions. , an All-American at UNC, won gold medals in 1996 and 2004 and earned a silver medal in the 2000 Summer Games. She missed the 2008 Olympics because of the birth of her child. With 352 caps, Lilly is the most capped player, male or female, in the history of the sport.

2. BILL TOOMEY: After barely missing out on making the U.S. Olympic team in 1964, the former star earned the title of "World's Greatest Athlete" four years later. In the Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City, had a record-setting first day in the decathlon and went on to become the ninth American to win the event.

1. BRUCE JENNER: The graduate went to Graceland College in Iowa to play football, but an injury forced him to quit. He took up the decathlon and went on to become one of the most famous U.S. Olympians ever. took the gold medal in the 1976 Summer Olympic Games in Montreal, setting a then world record of 8,618 points.

Who did we miss? Tell us in the comments!

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Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Carol Haley May 19, 2013 at 07:14 pm
Here's the latest Spencer from the AP, if we can believe them: Traffic in southwest ConnecticutRead More could be a mess for as much as a week until service is restored to the commuter rail line affected by a derailment that injured scores of passengers, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy warned Sunday.
Spencer May 19, 2013 at 07:10 pm
Another blow to not only NL's but the entire Southern CT's economy! Guess who will be picking upRead More the tab?
Carol Haley May 19, 2013 at 05:26 pm
I read that Malloy is hoping Monday but there are problems with the tracks and that has to beRead More repaired. Taking a guestimate, if it isn't Monday, maybe the end of the week.
John Martin May 19, 2013 at 02:42 pm
Of course, you are assuming that the government fund managers would be responsible. So far, this hasRead More been far from the case. The Federal government has plundered Social Security for decades, the teacher and state employee funds have been systematically looted. Of course they want to open this up to anyone with dollars in their pockets. I am not opposed to a program like this - in fact, economies of scale using voluntary contributions in a well-managed plan could be quite beneficial. If the government is going to be allowed to administer the program, there needs to be stringent safeguards, the funds must be untouchable, and there should be swift and significant consequences for mismanagement. Oh, but wait - this is Connecticut. Of course people will find their dollars funding the 'progressive' agenda with no regard for the state's fiduciary, legal, and moral obligation to the contributors.
Kathleen Mitchell May 19, 2013 at 10:45 am
If I read this correctly and, if not, I'm sure someone will correct me, the highlights of this billRead More are (1) It's designed for workers "who do not have access to a retirement plan through their employer" (2) "workers can take their investment with them as they move from job to job." (3) "whatever administrative costs are associated with the plan are charged to the participants themselves, not Connecticut taxpayers." I haven't read the bill yet but I don't see anything in this article by Richard Waselik regarding an employer contribution or match so what is the problem?
Sue P. May 19, 2013 at 10:20 am
Richard, Are you the same Richard that sent a letter to the city council when you became concernedRead More that people that did not work for the city long enough were contributing to the pension plan? I think I have a copy of it somewhere. I think you were concerned that people were getting vested and they were not suppose to be yet.
Carol Haley May 17, 2013 at 07:44 am
Pretty funny Spencer. But you don't want a museum there. You need something that generates taxes.Read More Museums are mostly non-profit thereby not generating any taxes. I know you were being funny. I was disgusted to read the developer couldn't show financial backing.
Kathleen Mitchell May 17, 2013 at 05:47 pm
Who would haveever thought of Wasp Spray? When you get the case of spray, be sure and drop a can offRead More at my house;>)
Jeff Brown May 17, 2013 at 03:46 pm
Good article, gonna have to pick up a case of wasp spray!
Carol Haley May 17, 2013 at 12:34 pm
Barbara, I agree with you. But it is probably a lot easier to get an illegal social security numberRead More than we would know. There are two ways of looking at this issue, but my resentment is that I have to pay for them.
Barbara Crocker May 17, 2013 at 07:52 am
But for state aid they would have to have a Social Security number. Bending and breaking laws isRead More how they got here in the first place. The fact that elected officials condone and encourage these laws to be broken is the biggest problem that I have with this whole debacle. "Undocumented residents" place a burden on all of us, and take jobs that could be worked by legal residents. Employers hire illegals (yes I prefer calling them what they are, to hell with being politically correct) because it saves them money, not because "no one else would work these jobs". This is a slap in the face to all of our ancestors who came to this country and followed the rules to become citizens.
Carol Haley May 17, 2013 at 06:51 am
The way things have been going in the eastern part of the United States, as long as the illegals areRead More not breaking the law criminally (motor vehicle is different), they are not arrested for being illegal. Its the illegal immigrants who break the law, such as the large drug bust recently in the papers. As long as they are minding their own business, they get a pass. The only problem I have with illegals is their rush to get on state aid, food stamps, etc. I don't think we should have to support those that choose to live in this country illegally. Becoming a US citizen is not cheap. It is expensive, but it is something that they must work for.
Spencer May 16, 2013 at 04:42 pm
Perhaps because people who vote continue to vote the same way they have for years--and expect to getRead More different results when they do so?
Carol Haley May 15, 2013 at 05:05 pm
Sounds like a bunch of goobledygook to me. And Sue, the Democrats being divided isn't anything newRead More as well as the backstabbing and bs. It's been going on for years. That is one of the reasons I changed to independent a long time ago. I'm presently a Democrat, but changing back to independent as soon as I can get down there.
Felicia Hendersen May 15, 2013 at 09:00 am
Bravo Sue P. And Kathleen I changed the word from "her" to "his". Why shouldRead More people not question the motives of the city council president?
Sue P. May 15, 2013 at 08:53 am
Glad to here that Felicia, I sure hope that you are who you are and not the HE I was told you are.Read More Now is the time to work together and not pick each other apart like the Administration is doing to the Democrat Town Committee.You should see how divided they are and all the back stabbing and bickering that goes on. I say stay clear of that group.
William Desmond May 14, 2013 at 12:47 pm
I must say this has created quite a stir!
Luis Smart May 14, 2013 at 07:04 am
I agree Richard argyle sweaters would have really made it. It is really sad Michael Passero has goneRead More to the dark side and has aligned himself with the administration rather than the people of the city. The one time high vote getter will be all done in November.
Richard Cranium May 13, 2013 at 10:26 pm
I think it is pretty funny although they should be wearing argyle vest sweaters!