By Nancy Gillen |
Eight winners were announced on the final episode of the United States Olympic Committee’s (USOC) television show which aims to find future Olympic stars.
The show, entitled Milk Life presents, Scouting Camp: The Next Olympic Hopeful, airs on NBC and has now completed its second season.
It was created by USOC to identify talent for future Olympic Games and encourage others to participate in Olympic sports.
Nearly 3,500 athletes applied to the program, with 90 invited to the US Olympic Training Centre in Colarado Springs.
A winner was then selected for each of the eight participating sports and invited to join national team camps, while also becoming eligible to receive financial, training and medical support in their bid to compete at an Olympic Games.
Kayla Caldwell was named the winner for weightlifting, joined by Stephanie Grant for boxing and Lindsey Mayo for rugby sevens.
Fabian Griffith was announced as the winner for skeleton, Shaye Hatchette for canoe/kayak and LaDarren Landrum for rowing.
Deena Manitu will join the national team camp for cycling and Rodriquez Russell will do the same for bobsleigh.
“For the second consecutive season, the Next Olympic Hopeful program has identified world-class American athletes with transferable talents that we feel can make an impact at the highest level of sport,” said Alan Ashley, USOC’s chief of sport performance.
“We look forward to working alongside our national governing body colleagues – who handpicked the eight winners for their respective sport – to further develop these athletes and help them, like all Team USA athletes, achieve their maximum potential.”
Aside from the eight winners, 38 athletes were invited by National Governing Bodies to continue their affiliation with their sport through training opportunities.
Republished with permission from insidethegames.biz.
The show should really get more press, I truely Believe it will not only help the us team achieve greatness but also find hidden talent . I was Very thankful and fortunate to have been given an opportunity with team USA boxing