Tim Morehouse is a two-time Olympic fencer who won the silver medal in team sabre at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
A Truly Special Closing Ceremony for Team USA 2012
September 17, 2012
While the Closing Ceremony at the Olympic Games is special, nothing beats coming back to the USA and going to the White House to meet the President!
The visit is special in a number of ways, first it is also the only time the entire TEAM USA Olympic and Paralympic teams are together and to be able to talk with the Paralympians who are just returning back from London was really great. A number of them are wounded warriors who have turned their injuries into inspiration by becoming Paralympians and representing all that is great about our nation on a new stage. Couldn’t be prouder to stand beside them.
Second, and this is bitter sweet one, but the White House visit represents the last time all of the London 2012 Olympians will be assembled together. It has been a month since we were all together at Closing Ceremony in London and you can tell that everyone is already shifting gears to prepare for the upcoming season or to retirement mode and figuring out their next adventures.
On to the visit!
We boarded buses around 7am and headed to the White House. We got some very cool Nike Team USA “Letterman” jackets to wear for the visit. We arrived at the White House and went through security and then assembled on rafters set up on the front lawn. President Obama, the First Lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden soon came out and shook hands with a few folks as they headed to the podium. The first lady spoke and thanked us and so did President Obama. It means a lot that they took the time to thank us and they genuinely seemed like HUGE fans of the Games. Following President Obama’s remarks, he was presented with the flag we used at Opening and Closing Ceremony by Mariel Zagunis, our flag bearer for Opening Ceremony at the Olympic Games, and Brad Snyder, our flag bearer for Closing Ceremony at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Then things got really special, when the President announced that despite his busy schedule he would stay and shake everyone’s hand!!! That’s 400+ athletes and let me tell you that is no easy task! For the next hour, President Obama, the First Lady and VP Biden shook hands, gave hugs and congratulations. How often do you get a hug from the First Lady of the United States?!?!
I feel very proud that I get to represent the U.S. at the Olympics and getting the chance to go to the White House and spend one last moment basking in the Olympic gleam of London with our President is something I will never forget. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Obama and also to the U.S. Olympic Committee staff for setting this all up!
Onwards to Rio? :-)
Tag(s): News
