[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 27 (Tuesday, March 12, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E320]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   IN RECOGNITION OF HISPANIC AMERICAN ATHLETES AT THE 2002 OLYMPICS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 12, 2002

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding 
achievements of the United States Latino athletes in the 2002 Winter 
Olympics. At these Olympic games we have seen a number of outstanding 
United States athletes from different ethnic and racial backgrounds. We 
have witnessed a number of ``firsts'' in our minority communities. 
These athletes have risen to the Olympic challenge against incredible 
odds, and for this, I honor them. I again recognize Mrs. Vonetta 
Flowers who won a Gold medal; in bobsledding at the Winter Olympic 
games, becoming the first African American to win a Gold medal for the 
United States in a Winter event.
  In addition to those accomplishments made by the African American 
community, I also commend those achievements of Hispanic American 
athletes as highlighted in the Daily News article on Latino Olympians. 
The article follows this statement and I would like to take this 
opportunity to recognize the Olympians' reference in it. Mr. Parra, 31 
years old, is a Mexican American speed skater from Orlando, Florida. He 
began his athletic career as a inline skater and only picked up speed 
skating on ice five years ago. Considered the first Hispanic American 
to ever win a medal in the Olympic games makes Parra incredibly unique, 
but Parra did not just medal. Parra came in first, receiving a Gold 
medal and breaking the world record for his performance in the 1,500 
meter. He also received a Silver medal in the 5,000 meter race.
  In addition, Jennifer Rodriguez of Miami, Florida became the first 
Cuban-American to medal in the Winter Olympics. A former inline 
skater--now speed skater, like Parra--Rodriguez competed in the women's 
1,000 race and won a Bronze medal. Our nation's Puerto Rican heritage 
was also represented at the Salt Lake City Games. Though the two-man 
bobsled team was unable to complete in the end, Puerto Rico's presence 
was felt and we look forward to their full participation in 2006.
  Parra, Rodriguez, and the Puerto Rican athletes have performed to 
commendable heights. They are a tribute to everything the Olympics 
stand for: courage, athleticism and national and international unity. I 
thank them for their hard work and perseverance. These, along with 
African American and Asian American, athletes are great examples to our 
future athletes, especially our minority communities. Their faces 
reflect the composition of our country and are an inspiration to 
countless young people who might believe the Olympics are not for them. 
Thank you again and congratulations.

             [From the New York Daily News, Feb. 21, 2002]

                      Latin Olympians Good as Gold

       Global warming has affected the Utah Winter Olympics in 
     unexpected ways. And all of them seem to be good.
       For one thing, there are all these warm-weather people 
     heating up the ice at Salt Lake City. And doing their part to 
     make the medal count grow for the U.S.
       Take Derek Parra.
       Believed to be the first Hispanic ever to win a medal in 
     the Winter Games, Parra, a 31-year-old Mexican-American, 
     lives in Orlando, Fla., where Mickey and Donald are found all 
     over the place, but snow is as rare as, well, speed skating.
       He is 5-foot-4 and weighs 140 pounds, but Para accomplished 
     what many bigger men had unsuccessfully attempted before. He 
     broke a world record to take the gold in 1,500 meters speed 
     skating Tuesday in such spectacular fashion that even his 
     competitors were thrilled.
       ``It sounds stupid, but I enjoyed [seeing] it,'' said 
     Jochem Uytdehaage, of the Netherlands, who won silver, after 
     Parra broke the world record he had set a few minutes before.
       The reverse had taken place the opening day of the games, 
     when Parra set a world record in the 5,000 meters. Uytdehaage 
     destroyed it a few minutes later.
       ``It is just an amazing thing,'' Parra said after his 
     1,500-meter victory.


                         Cuban-American Pioneer

       Now take Jennifer Rodriguez.
       Born in sunny Miami to Cuban parents, Rodriguez is believed 
     to be the first Cuban-American to compete in the Winter 
     Games.
       Rodriguez not only competed but won the bronze in the 
     women's 1,000 meters. Another American, Chris Witty, won the 
     gold and established a new world record.
       That no Cuban-American had competed in the Winter Olympics 
     before is not at all surprising. After all, in Miami, ice is 
     usually found only in drinks. Not exactly an ice-skating 
     paradise.
       Baseball, football, swimming, boxing, soccer--all of them 
     are pretty popular in warm, heavily Latino Miami. But a 
     Cuban-American speed skater? Rodriguez's and Parra's feats 
     will do wonders to change that.
       Parra and Rodriguez--as did Apolo Anton Ohno, for that 
     matter--got their start as in-line skaters. Actually, 
     Rodriguez didn't train on ice until six years ago, and Parra 
     made the switch only five years ago.
       The young Mexican-American also was a phenomenal in-line 
     skater, becoming national champion three times in the 1990s 
     and holding world records in short- and long-distance events.
       And then take the case of the Puerto Rican bobsled team.
       Yes, I know, you are asking yourself what in the world was 
     the Caribbean island--average temperature 85 degrees--doing 
     in Salt Lake City, where freezing weather is their daily 
     bread? Did these sun-tanned, warm-weather guys stand a chance 
     against all those cold-weather-seasoned athletes?
       We'll never know.


                          Bobsledders Blocked

       On Friday evening, the Puerto Rican Olympic Committee 
     dropped out of the two-man bobsled competition hours before 
     it began. The reason: Michael Gonzalez, one of the two team 
     members, was not able to demonstrate to the island's Olympic 
     committee that he had lived on the island for the required 
     three years.
       Ironically, the International Olympic Committee was 
     satisfied with the two years and one month he was able to 
     prove.
       ``He's a great, great guy, but those are the rules,'' said 
     Hector Cardona, president of the island's national Olympic 
     committee. ``We have to follow the rules. As president of the 
     Olympic committee, I took him out, according to our 
     constitution.''
       Maybe next time. And count on it, there will be a next 
     time.

     

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