THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 21, 1995 TAG: 9507210640
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 99 lines
Troubled financially and losing relevance in the athletic community, the 14th Olympic Festival begins today at three sites in Colorado: Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs.
About 3,000 athletes will compete in 37 sports over 10 days in what might be the last Olympic Festival in its current form.
Fourteen competitors have connections to South Hampton Roads, including 60-meter world-record holder Andre Cason of Virginia Beach, rhythmic gymnast Lauri Illy of Virginia Beach and team handball player Michael Thornberry of Suffolk.
With marketing, corporate sponsorship and other hype for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics under way, fund raising and ticket sales for this Olympic Festival are off. Earlier this week, ticket sales were more than $1 million short of the $2.4 million goal.
And U.S. Olympic Committee officials are considering reducing the number of Festival sports, breaking it into minifestivals, inviting foreign athletes or killing it altogether.
Already the Festival, largely a developmental event held in non-Olympic years since 1978, has been changed to take place once every two years.
The next two are scheduled for 1997 and 1999. Richmond and Seattle are the finalists to play host to the '97 Festival, with a decision due no later than October.
``I am going to do all the things possible to find ways to sustain the Olympic Festival,'' U.S. Olympic Committee president LeRoy Walker said. ``It is the only event that we really own. How can we afford not to do whatever is required? There may have to be some changes. If the need is different now, let's satisfy the need, but let's not throw out the baby with the wash.''
That encourages John Lugbill, executive director of the group trying to bring the festival to Richmond.
``There must be a way for it to work out for everybody,'' Lugbill said, ``though that doesn't mean it will.''
Lugbill said changes that are too drastic could dampen Richmond's interest in the Festival.
``It's scary. What if they come back with something we don't want, or that we don't think will fly in Richmond or anywhere?'' said Lugbill, a former Olympic kayak racer. ``We could easily say no to something.''
The turmoil won't be on the minds of the athletes, though the Festival means more to the careers of some than others.
``The Festival is not necessarily a real important event to the people we hope it would be, the high-profile sports,'' said Bill Tutt, chairman of the Olympic Committee's festivals committee. ``Basketball could take it or leave it.''
However, track stars such as Cason, Butch Reynolds and Carl Lewis, who did not qualify for next month's world championships, will use the Festival as a chance to set a record in Colorado Springs' high altitude.
And for John Jacobson, 16, a figures roller skater from Norfolk, the Festival ``is a major stepping stone.'' Roller skating is not an Olympic sport, but on a national scale, ``once you make the Olympic Festival, it's where the rest of the country recognizes you as an upcoming star.''
That's what the Olympic Festival is all about now and in whatever shape it might take in the future. MEMO: Virginian-Pilot wire services contributed to this article.
LOCAL COMPETITORS
The 14th Olympic Festival starts today in Boulder, Colo., Colorado
Springs, Colo., and Denver. These local athletes are scheduled to
compete, listed by name, sport, age and hometown.
Alexis Brion, gymnastics, 12, Virginia Beach; Among top-ranked
juniors
Andre Cason, track, 26, Virginia Beach; World-record holder
60-meters
Chris Elmore, baseball, 18, Virginia Beach; Pitcher has scholarship
to UNC
Nate Friends, soccer, 22, Bridgewater, N.J.; Plays for H. Roads
Hurricanes
Lauri Illy, rhythmic gymnastics, 13, Virginia Beach; Third-ranked in
U.S.
John Jacobson, figures roller skating, 16, Norfolk; Six-time U.S.
champion
Tim Jeffries, singles roller skating, 23, Va. Beach; 4th world class
division
Kim Miller, field hockey, 17, Virginia Beach; Member of U.S. Under-18
team
Quan Nim, field hockey, 19, Virginia Beach; Has scholarship to U. of
Iowa
Jonathan Nisbet, cycling, 17, Chesapeake; Fifth in two events at Jr.
Nationals
Mike Thornberry, team handball, 22, Suffolk; Member of U.S. National
Team
John Torgerson, sailing, 21, Annapolis, Md.; All-American at Old
Dominion
Scott Walsh, rowing, 23, Norfolk; 6th nationally in lightweight
double scull
Tonya Williams, track, 20, Norfolk; NCAA 400-meter hurdles champion by CNB