COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Two-time Olympic gold medalist gymnast Peter Vidmar and retired Paralympic track and field athlete Aimee Mullins were named chef de missions Thursday by the U.S. Olympic Committee to act as liaisons during the Olympics and Paralympics next year in London.
The 15-person USOC board tabbed Vidmar, 49, of Los Angeles, and Mullins, 34, of New York, as Team USA representatives, tasked with being leaders for the U.S. delegations if issues arise between the USOC and the London Organizing Committee, the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee and other Olympic entities.
They'll both travel to London for chef de mission meetings in August and in January, and they're both expected to march in the opening ceremony -- for the Olympics on July 27, 2012, and for the Paralympics on Aug. 29, 2012. Once the Games start, they'll participate in USOC sponsor functions, greet foreign dignitaries, become voices for athletes -- pretty much whatever is needed to make certain the United States looks good for the rest of the world.
"I'll give my very best efforts to ensure that every athlete selected to represent the U.S. in London has the experience that they've prepared for," said Vidmar, the USA Gymnastics chairman who won a gold on the pommel horse and a silver in the all-around and carried the U.S. to a title at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. "For many of these athletes, this could be their first and only Olympic Games, and each deserves to have their best experience."
"It's a responsibility, not just an honor," said Mullins, an actress and fashion model with world records in the 100 and 200 meters and the long jump before competing at the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta. "It's a real role, and it's requiring a real commitment. . . . This is Team USA. This is a unified front. We are coming to London with our game face on."
Neither Vidmar nor Mullins gave medal predictions for London, where the United States awaits a challenge from China and Great Britain on both the Olympic and Paralympic sides. The Americans won the most medals (110) at the 2008 Beijing Games but lost to China 51-36 in the gold-medal race, and at the Paralympics in Beijing, China doubled the output of the U.S. in the total- and gold-medal counts, and the U.S. trailed Great Britain in each race.
"We have high hopes for the U.S. team bringing home medals," Mullins said, adding that "we want to provide the opportunity and the forum and the groundwork for each athlete representing the United States to feel like they have the opportunity to put forward their personal best on the day and come away with the same incredible, lifelong memories."
"American athletes don't train to show up," Vidmar added. "They train to do their very best. And in some cases, their very best means winning medals. We're going to do that. The hope always is that we put forth the best team ... and that we win the most medals."
Chefs for Guadalajara
USOC chief of sport performance Alan Ashley was appointed chef de mission for the Pan American Games by the USOC, and USOC managing director of U.S. Paralympics Joe Walsh was selected chef for the Parapan American Games. The Pan American Games are in October and the Parapan American Games are in November in Guadalajara, Mexico.
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