Posted on Tue, Apr. 29, 2008

Countdown to Beijing

100 days to Olympics

SCOTT FOWLER

Mark J. Rebilas - US PRESSWIRE

7/18/07 - Ricky Berens in action during the mens 100m butterfly during the Pan American Games at the Rio Aquatic Park in Rio de Janeiro.

With the NFL draft just ending, the Wachovia Championship starting and the last day of school still in the distance, the Olympics are hardly on anyone's radar.

But 100 days from today, China will host the Summer Olympics. Since the number eight is considered to be a symbol of prosperity and good luck in the Chinese culture, these Olympics will officially begin on Aug. 8 -- 08-08-08 -- at 8 p.m.

China believes this will be its coming-out party to the world and has spent roughly four times as much on Olympic preparations as any previous host. The largest worldwide TV audience ever -- four billion viewers -- is expected to watch at least some of the Games. As for the weather, U.S. officials have told their athletes it will be sweltering, about like Houston in August.

Protests will be common because of China's checkered record on human-rights issues. The Olympic torch relay has become a beacon for all who have a beef with China.

But when the Games begin, the athletes will again assume their rightful place at center stage. Stories will be everywhere. And the Carolinas will be well-represented -- particularly in swimming, whitewater kayaking and basketball.

Here's a look at more of the stories you'll be hearing about as the Olympics draw closer. If you know of more Olympic-level athletes with strong ties to the Carolinas, send an e-mail to sfowler@charlotteobserver.com.

MARK GANGLOFF

Gangloff is one of the most accomplished members of Mecklenburg Aquatic Club's Team Elite, which has brought together 18 superb swimmers from all over the country under the direction of former Auburn coach David Marsh. The hiring of Marsh was a coup. He is a pied piper in swimming circles and has now coached in Charlotte for a year."I fully expect us to get two to three swimmers into the Olympics," Marsh said Monday. "And Mark Gangloff probably is our best shot right now at a gold medal."

Gangloff, a breaststroker, swam for Marsh at Auburn and has an Olympic relay gold medal from 2004. He would love to add an individual gold to that collection. He and his wife, Ashley, reside in Charlotte.

MARGARET HOELZER

Hoelzer was a 2004 Olympian, finishing fifth in the 200 backstroke in Greece. She also swam for Marsh at Auburn and moved to Charlotte to join the Team Elite program at MAC.

In almost all of the Olympic races, the U.S. and other countries are allowed to take only two swimmers per event. In many cases, Marsh said, America is so strong in swimming that "our third-place finisher at the Olympic trials might also win the bronze medal at the actual Olympics."

The trials will be in Omaha, Neb., starting June 29. Hoelzer has a very good shot at making the Olympics in the backstroke.

DOUG VAN WIE

Van Wie, a swimmer who went to high school at Myers Park and still lives in Charlotte and trains at MAC, has made a significant jump recently."Doug Van Wie has really moved to another place," Marsh said. "He's going to be a genuine factor now in the Olympic trials. Instead of on the outside looking in, he now may well be on the inside."

Van Wie has had some terrific meet results lately overseas. He anchored a U.S. 400 freestyle team to a gold medal and a world record in England this month.

Van Wie's best shot at the Olympics will be in the 200 freestyle, Marsh thinks. That's one of the few events in which the U.S. is allowed to take the top six finishers in the final, rather than the top two, because they are needed for relays.

ANNE DONOVAN AND MIKE KRZYZEWSKI

Both U.S. Olympic basketball coaches have strong ties to the Carolinas. Krzyzewski, of course, you know as the legendary coach for Duke. But did you know that Donovan, coach of the Charlotte Sting in 2001 and '02, never left the city full-time, even when she went to Seattle and won a WNBA championship with the Seattle Storm?

"I've been sort of incognito, but Charlotte has truly been home to me for a number of years," she said.

Donovan won gold medals in the 1984 and '88 Olympics as a player. She resigned from coaching Seattle in late 2007 and is concentrating on winning another gold.

WHITEWATER KAYAKERS

The U.S. National Whitewater Center is a frothy magnet, drawing many of America's best kayakers and canoeists to train here full-time.The U.S. Olympic trials were held at the center this past weekend, but the five-person American team won't be decided until early July after a World Cup race in Germany. Of those five, expect several to hail from the Charlotte area. Kayaker Pablo McCandless, now of Mount Holly but originally from Chile, has already clinched a birth representing Chile in Beijing.

WILLOW KOERBER

Koerber, a world-class mountain biker, grew up in Asheville and went to school at UNC Asheville. She is the daughter of "peace-loving hippies," as she put it. The Koerbers moved out of the commune and didn't have a television in the house until she was 14.

"Even then," she said, "we only watched `The Cosby Show.' But the plus side was we spent most of our time outside in absolutely beautiful country."

Olympics | Continued Coverage from 1C Olympics | Continued Coverage from 1C

Want more information?

Here are three useful Olympic-related Web sites:

• USOlympicteam.com -- A very good place to start for information on American gold-medal hopefuls in all sports.

• www.olympic.org -- Official Web site of the Olympic movement includes countdowns to Beijing and 2010, 2012 Games.

• NBColympics.com -- After paying so much for TV rights, NBC will make a huge deal about these Summer Olympics once again. IN MY OPINION Scott Fowler