California Rules U.S. Olympic Team

Can you say dominate?

If the state of California were a country it would be among the top 8 nations when the final medals get counted in Athens. Of the 531 Athletes competing for the United States, 140 call California home. That's 1 out of every 4 Olympians, or 26.3% of the whole U.S. team from a state representing only 12.5% of the U.S. population, a Golden State indeed.

More amazingly, the states strength is overwealming, the the next nearest state, TEXAS, will only be sending 29 athletes.

And, these numbers are no a regional fluke with California dominating regional sports were we are traditionally strong like Volleyball or Sailing. We complete in every sport from Archery to Wrestling.

The fact is the gap could have been even bigger if the U.S. Men's baseball and soccer teams had not been eliminated in regional qualifying. If those team had made it, California would have added at least another 14 athletes to the final Olympic roster. And these numbers do not even include the Californians representing other nations such as the Golden Staters competing for Greece in softball.

We may have our problems but athletically we leave the rest of this nation eating our dust.

Comments

[joe roman]

i have a question. i'm not sure this is, the right web site but i'll ask anyway. i'm thirty five years old. and might be thinking of entering the olympics, in china 2008. bejing. i wonder if i'm to old to compete. and if the olympics is only for, younger people. can you please let me know thank you. the only sport i'm thinking of competeing in, is running. joe roman CENTFREEZE@aol.com.