London Calling
Area athletes who dream of Olympic gold and others who have already found it

More than 200 athletes competing in the 2012 Summer Games have a California connection. They either live in the state now or were born here. See the list here. You can also follow many of them on Twitter.
Insight Interviews with and News Stories About Local Olympians
Haley and Alyssa Anderson Discuss Their Medal Winning Performances
Wednesday, August 15, 2012Alyssa Anderson brought home gold for the women's 4 x 200 freestyle relay while sister Haley won silver in the Women's Open Water swim. Both talked with Beth Ruyak about their amazing Olympics experiences.
Summing Up The Summer Games in Their Own Words
Friday, August 10, 2012Listen back to this collection of highlights from Beth Ruyak's interviews with local Olympians.
Local Swim Coach Recaps Weltz's London Games
Tuesday, August 07, 2012San Jose's Scott Weltz surprised the swimming world at the US Olympic Trials by winning the 200m breast stroke. He competed in London and finished fifth. His personal coach Pete Motekaitis, whom he met at UC Davis, talks about Weltz's experience.
Reno's Jake Dalton in London: "We Learned A Lot About Ourselves"
Monday, August 06, 2012U.S. men's gymnastics team member Jake Dalton took 5th in the men's floor exercise final on Sunday, capping off an impressive Olympic debut. The day after that performance, the Reno native talked with Beth Ruyak about his experience in London.
Past Olympian With Sacramento Ties Remembers Games
Friday, August 03, 2012Lindsay Davenport played for the Sacramento Capitals for several seasons, but is now playing for the Orange County Breakers in the World Team Tennis league. She talked about her Olympic memories before a recent match here in Sacramento.
U.S. Rowing Team Wins Gold in Women's Eight
Thursday, August 02, 2012Congrats to U.S. Women's Rowing for grabbing gold on Thursday in Women's Eight! (They also won in Beijing.) Coxswain Mary Whipple, a Sacramento native, talks about what it takes to be a great rowing team in this video produced by the New York Times.
Olympics Update
Wednesday, August 01, 2012As the 2012 London Olympic Games continue to unfold, we check in with Mike Sayers about British cyclist Bradley Wiggins winning an Olympic gold medal and the Tour de France.
Memories of Mexico City with 3-Time Gold Medalist Debbie Meyer
Tuesday, July 31, 2012Debbie Meyer became the first swimmer to win three individual gold medals in one Olympics at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City. At the time she was a 16-year old student at Rio Americano High School in Sacramento.
How a Local Computer Programmer Helped Change The Way Gymnastics is Scored
Monday, July 30, 2012In the early 1990's, Sacramento computer programmer Scott Slater, whose daughter was competing in gymnastics, applied his skills to the gym's scoring system. Within a few years he and the owners of Technique Gymnastics developed the ProScore system.
Nevada Family Sees Hard Work Pay Off With Trip to London
Monday, July 30, 2012As we watch the Olympics, we sometimes forget the athletes who have made it to the pinnacle of sport often didn’t get there alone. We have the story of one family who put everything into their child’s dream.
Summer's Olympics: Remembering Barcelona
Thursday, July 26, 2012At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, a 19-year-old from Roseville became the most decorated US swimmer of those games. Summer Sanders won four medals: two golds, a silver and a bronze. Now she’s in London reporting on the games for Yahoo Sports.
Former UC Davis Star Scott Weltz Will Swim For Team USA
Tuesday, July 17, 2012UC Davis swimmer Scott Weltz pulled off an upset during the US Olympic swimming trials in the 200 meter breaststroke, beating out favorites Brendan Hansen and Eric Shanteau. Weltz is now preparing for a trip to the London games.
Beijing Silver Medalist James Williams Looks for More in London
Monday, July 16, 2012Sacramento fencer James Williams went to the Beijing Olympics in 2008 as a substitute and returned with the silver medal. This summer in London he looks to increase his medal count.
Sacramento's Inspirational Olympian Jeff Float
Thursday, July 12, 2012Sacramento swimmer Jeff Float recalls the relay race that earned him and his American teammates Olympic gold in 1984.
Native American Olympian Billy Mills On His Legacy
Wednesday, July 11, 2012His 10,000 meter race for the Olympic gold medal in 1964 has been called "the greatest race of the 20th century" by Running Times. Billy Mills joins us to talk about the legacy of his race as the 2012 Olympics near.
2008 Gold Medalist Gabe Gardner an Alternate for London Games
Monday, July 09, 2012After Gabe Gardner won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, he retired from the US Men’s Volleyball Team. Fast forward to 2012 and the Carmichael resident is now a team alternate, just one step removed from competing at the London Games.
Swimmer Kevin Ferguson Returns Home After Great Experience at Olympic Trials
Monday, July 02, 2012We spoke with Rio Americano High grad Kevin Ferguson about his quest to make this year's USA Olympic Team. He talks with Insight's Beth Ruyak about his experience competing in the Trials and what his plans are now.
West Sacramento Runner Kim Conley Will Compete in London
Monday, July 02, 2012Kim Conley has qualified for the USA Olympic Team after a dramatic finish in the 5000m race. We've been checking in with Kim throughout the Trials in Eugene, Oregon.
Rowing Team Coxswain Mary Whipple Headed For Third Olympics
Monday, July 02, 2012Sacramento born Mary Whipple is headed to her third Summer Games as the coxswain for the USA women's rowing team. Whipple won a gold medal in 2008 and a silver in 2004.
U.S. Men’s Cycling Coach Provides Olympics Preview
Thursday, June 28, 2012Long-time Sacramento-area professional cyclist Mike Sayers, who shifted his career from racing to coaching, will direct the US Olympic Men's Cycling Team at the 2012 Summer Games in London.
Kim Conley Update: Qualified for Finals on Thursday
Tue, Jun 26, 2012
West Sacramento runner Kim Conley has qualified for the finals of the US Track and Field Olympic team.
Galt's Stephanie Brown Trafton Looking To Repeat
Tue, Jun 26, 2012
Stephanie Brown Trafton thrilled Northern Californians and fans everywhere by winning the Olympic Gold Medal in Women's Discus Throw in 2008.
Rio Americano Grad Swimming for Spot on US Team
Mon, Jun 25, 2012
Sacramento swimmer Kevin Ferguson found his water legs as a child at Arden Hills and continued on to swim competitively as a member of the Rio Americano High School team.
West Sacramento Runner Kim Conley at Trials in Oregon
Thu, Jun 21, 2012
Runner Kim Conley is hoping to qualify for a spot on the US Olympic Team to compete in the Women's 5000 meters.
Olympic Gold Medalist and Sacramento-area Resident Ruthie Bolton
Thu, Jun 07, 2012
Sacramento's Hall of Famer, Olympic Gold Medalist and Monarchs star Ruthie Bolton has released her biography The Ride of a Lifetime.
From NPR News

Sweet Redemption As Men's Curling Team Brings Olympic Gold Home To Duluth
"The Olympics are great and all," but returning home was "way cooler than the Olympics," declared John Landsteiner, an engineer in Duluth, Minn.

PHOTOS: Memorable Moments From The Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games
Norway is taking home the most Winter Olympic medals, 39 total — 14 of them gold. The U.S. came in fourth in the medal count, winning 23 — its lowest number since 1998, when it won 13.

Highlights Of The Pyeongchang Olympics Closing Ceremony, In Photos
The flame is extinguished and the torch is passed to Beijing, host of the next Winter Games.

Pyeongchang Olympics: Closing Ceremony Ends Biggest Winter Games Ever
The 2,920 athletes who participated set a new record; so did the number of nations — 92 – they represented in South Korea.

A Russian Fan's Perspective On A Most Unusual Gold Medal Ceremony In Pyeongchang
"I was proud greatly. It was from one side, tears of pride and happiness. From another side, I regretted greatly we can't see our flag," said Natalia Kim, who lives in South Korea.

After Going Shot For Shot, Olympic Athletes From Russia Win Men's Hockey Gold
The Olympic Athletes from Russia won 4-3 against Germany in a game where neither team had much to lose.

Canada Has Best-Ever Winter Olympics Performance, Despite Unexpected Losses
The country has 29 medals, including 11 gold, despite less-than-gold performances from their usual powerhouses.
Olympics' Board Does Not Lift Suspension Of Russian Olympic Committee
Calling two doping cases "hugely disappointing," the IOC's executive board said that factors had "prevented the IOC from even considering lifting the suspension for the closing ceremony."
Sweden Wins Gold, South Korea's 'Garlic Girls' Win Silver Medal In Curling
With their performance, the much-loved Garlic Girls medalled in a sport that's still unfamiliar to most South Koreans. The nation's first Olympic women's curling team debuted just four years ago.

Canadian Olympic Athlete And Coach Apologize After Drunken Joyride Arrest
Skier Dave Duncan, his wife and his coach were arrested after drunkenly stealing an idling pink Hummer in Pyeongchang. Until prosecutors weigh in, all three are restricted from leaving South Korea.