In the summer of 1996, the Olympics were held in Atlanta, GA. The First Family was there.
In 1996 in Atlanta, the great Muhammed Ali, who had won Olympic Gold when he was 18, was chosen to light the torch to start the Games.
President Bill Clinton opened the Games.
From the White House years on, Bill and Hillary were privileged to consider Muhammed Ali a friend.
Bill was honored to speak at Ali's funeral in June.
Before his death, Muhammed Ali made clear he supported Hillary's run for the Presidency.
1996--The AmericanWomen's Basketball Team took home gold and led the way to the development of the WNBA
Bill, Hillary and Chelsea hung out with the 1996 United States Summer Olympics Women's Gymnastics team. Do you remember those athletes L-R, Amy Chow, Dominique Dawes, Dominique Moceanu, Kerri Strug, Amanda Borden, Jaycie Phelps, August 7, 1996. (Photo Credit: Presidential Libraries of the U.S. National Archives)
In 2000, as in every Olympics, there were dramatic stories. Our women's basketball team took gold in Australia, but star player Chamique Holdsclaw couldn't compete. She was injured. In 2016, now retired from the WNBA, where was a 6x All-Star, Chamique is on Hillary's team.
Women's Ice Hockey was a new sport in 1998. The US team took home the gold and women and girls ice hockey took flight in America.
World Champion Michelle Kwan, who won an Olympic medal in 1998 and then again in 2002, stole America's heart in the 1998 Olympics. She would go on to win another four world championship and tie with Mariel Vinson-Owen as a nine time US Champion.
In 2016, Michelle is a full time staffer for Hillary, working on surrogate outreach and helping talk about the issues that matter most to Americans.
Many Olympics stand with Hillary. Here are some identifiable faces. Left to Right. NBA great, Magic Johnson, part of the Men's Dream Team which won Olympic Gold in 1992. Two time Olympic gold winner, Jason Kidd, now head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. Greg Louganis, four time gold winning diver, and LGBTQ Activist. All stand with Hillary in 2016.
Other Olympians who stand with Hillary in 2016 include Megan Anna Rapinoe, a member of the women's soccer team that won gold in 2012.
Here she is with Hillary at a Glassdoor panel on Equal Pay Day Roundtable on April 12, 2016.
Megan, who is also a member of the World Cup Champion US Women's National Soccer Team, spoke about the need for Equal Pay for Equal Play.
USP SOCCER: WOMEN'S WORLD CUP-FINAL-JAPAN AT UNITE S SOC CAN BR
Megan's World Cup teammate, the two time gold medalist and soccer legend Abby Wambach also supports Hillary and has also been on the road with her.
Final Words--It seems Champions just gravitate to Champions. #TheyreWithHer. HIllary2016.
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August 2016
Special Olympian Addendum 1 of 3 slides--Part of Olympic Life for Hillary and for us all, thanks to the vision of Founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver, has always been the Special Olympics.
The Special Olympics break down barriers and inspire people everywhere to open their hearts to a wider world of human talents and potentials. This is Hillary's vision too.
Here Hillary, Honorary Chairperson of the Special Olympics Nippon, is pictured with Yoshiko Mitsui and Kayoko Hosokaw. The next two slides will show you some athletes and some supporters from Nippon 2010.
Special Olympian Addendum 2 of 3 slides --Special Olympians come in many nationalities, ethnic backgrounds, colors,genders and shapes. Here are some athletes who won medals in Nippon in 2010.
Special Olympian Addendum 3 of 3 slides-- Here are some supporters in Nippon 2010 too. Special Olympics bring joy and many other emotions to those who participate and those who watch.
