Joan Benoit Samuelson, David Robinson chosen for US Olympic Hall of Fame

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This article was published 15/04/2008 (6465 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CHICAGO – With one last Olympic trials to run, Joan Benoit Samuelson’s place in the Hall of Fame is already secure.

The 50-year-old Samuelson, who will run in her fourth and final Olympic trials in Boston on Sunday, is one of nine individual athletes who will be part of this year’s U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame class. The class was announced Tuesday at the U.S. Olympic Committee media summit and will be inducted June’.

Joining Samuelson in this year’s class are: Karch Kiraly, a three-time Olympian in volleyball; Bob Baumgartner, who won gold, silver and bronze medals in wrestling; gold medal figure skater Brian Boitano; boxer Oscar de La Hoya; original Dream Team member David Robinson; swimmer Amy Van Dyken, a six-time gold medallist; J. Michael Plumb, an eight-time Olympian who has marched in more opening ceremonies than any other U.S. athlete; Lones W. Wigger Jr., a double gold medallist in shooting; and Paralympic swimmer John Morgan.

The “Magnificent Seven,” which in’96 became the first U.S. women’s gymnastics team to win Olympic gold, will be inducted in the team category. Carlo Fassi, who coached Peggy Fleming and Dorothy Hamill, was selected in the coach category, and gold medal figure skater Carol Heiss Jenkins is the veteran inductee. Hollywood producer Frank Marshall will join the hall as a special contributor.

“This is a very humbling experience,” said Dominique Dawes, a member of the “Magnificent Seven” along with Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Kerri Strug, Jaycie Phelps, Amanda Borden and Amy Chow. “It’s amazing to think it’s been 12 years since that wonderful achievement.”

Samuelson won the inaugural Olympic women’s marathon in’84 and is a two-time Boston Marathon champion. She is the oldest of the 162 runners registered for the women’s trials Sunday in Boston, and has said it will be her final competitive marathon.

Robinson is the only U.S. basketball player to be named to three Olympic teams, in’88,’92 and’96. After winning a bronze medal in’88, he joined Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird on the first “Dream Team” and won gold at the Barcelona Games. He won a second gold medal in’96.

Kiraly is the only player to win Olympic medals in indoor and beach volleyball. He won golds in’84 and’88 with Team USA, then teamed with partner Kent Steffes to win gold when beach volleyball made its debut in’96. Van Dyken was the first U.S. woman to win four golds at a single games, doing it in her Olympic debut in’96, and added two more golds in 2000.

Baumgartner is one of only eight Americans to win medals at four different Olympics. He was the gold medallist in’84 and’92, won a silver in’88 and completed his medals set with a bronze in’96. He also was the flag bearer and captain of the U.S. team in Atlanta.

Boitano won the gold medal in’84, beating Canada’s Brian Orser in the “Battle of the Brians.” De La Hoya won the lone gold medal for U.S. boxers in’92, capturing the lightweight title. Plumb won six medals in an Olympic career that began in’60, including team golds in’76 and’84. Wigger competed in’64,’68 and’72 and qualified for the’80 Games, which the United States boycotted.

Competing as a visually impaired swimmer, Morgan won eight gold medals and a pair of silvers at the’92 Games.