METRO AND LA2024 HONOR GOLD MEDALISTS OF THE PAST

What:    With the Opening Ceremony for the Olympic Games Rio 2016 scheduled for Friday, Aug. 5, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) and the Los Angeles 2024 Olympic Candidature Committee (LA2024) announce their own celebration of Los Angeles’ Olympic history by honoring local gold medalists from the past at transit stations throughout the Metro system. Medalists will meet and greet, display their gold medals, pose for photographs and give autographs.

When:   August 5, 8-15 and 15-19. All times are 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Visuals: Metro riders will line up to meet the gold medalists. The champions   will pose for selfies, distribute autgraphs. Gold medalists will be in Team USA apparel .

Gold medalists will appear at the following stations. Some locations will require TAP to enter.

Aug. 5 – Metro El Monte Bus Station – 3501 Santa Anita Ave., El Monte 91731
Paul Gonzales
·                     Gold Medalist Boxing  Light Flyweight  1984 Los Angeles Games
·                     Val Barker Trophy – top pound-for-pound boxer of the Games

Aug. 8 – Union Station – 801 N. Vignes, Los Angeles, 90012
Shirley Babashoff
·                     3-time Gold Medalist Swimming 1972 Munich Games and 1976 Montreal Games
·                     8 total Olympic Medals
·                     2005 Olympic Order – Highest honor of the Olympics movement

Aug. 9 – Sierra Madre Villa Station of the Metro Gold Line – 149 N. Halstead St., Pasadena 91107                            John Naber
·                     4 Gold Medals, 1 Silver –  Swimming 1976 Montreal Games
·                     Each gold was won in world record time

Aug. 10 – Culver City Station of the Metro Expo Line – 8817 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 90232
John Naber
·                     4 Gold Medals, 1 Silver –  Swimming 1976 Montreal Games
·                     Each gold was won in world record time

Aug. 11 – North Hollywood Station of the Metro Red Line – 5391 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood 91601 Julianne McNamara
·                     Gold Medal Uneven Parallel Bars 1984 Los Angeles Games – Score of perfect 10.0
·                     Silver Medal Team Competition 1984 Los Angeles Games

Aug. 12 – Atlantic Station of the Metro Gold Line – 5150 E. Pomona Blvd., Los Angeles 90022
Brenda Villa
·                     Gold Medalist Women’s Water Polo 2012 London Games
·                     2 Olympic Silver Medals and 1 Olympic Bronze Medal

Aug. 15 – Chatsworth Station of the Metro Orange Line – 21501 Lassen Street, Chatsworth 91311
Rafer Johnson
·                     Gold Medal Decathlon 1960 Rome Games “World’s Greatest Athlete”
·                     Flag bearer for the United States team at 1960 Rome Games
·                     Silver Medal Decathlon 1956 Melbourne Games

Aug. 16 – 7th Street/Metro Center – 600 St. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles 90017
Valerie Brisco
·                     3 Gold Medals –  200 meters, 400 meters, 4×400 meters relay – 1984 Los Angeles games
·                     Silver Medal 4×400 meters dash – 1988 Seoul games

Aug. 17 – Downtown Long Beach Station of the Metro Blue Line – 128 W. 1st Street, Long Beach 90802
Lisa Fernandez
·                     3-time Gold Medal winner Softball, 1996 Atlanta Games, 2000 Sydney Games and 2004 Athens Games.

Aug. 18 – APU/Citrus College Station of the Metro Gold Line – 905 N. Citrus Ave., Azusa 91702
Bryan Clay
·                     Gold Medal Decathlon 2008 Beijing Games “World’s Greatest Athlete”
·                     Silver Medal Decathlon 2004 Athens Games

Aug. 19 – Downtown Santa Monica Station of the Metro Expo Line – 402 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica 90401
Mark Spitz
·                     9-time Gold Medalist swimming 1968 Mexico City Games and 1972 Munich Games
·                     Won 7 Gold Medals in 1972 – a record that held for 36 years
·                     All 7 Gold Medals in 1972 won in world record times – never equaled