Beijing 2008 Update

Alumni, students begin competition

Twelve Princetonians - 11 athletes and one coach - are representing their countries in Beijing during the opening week of the 2008 Olympics. (Apologies to Konrad Wysocki ’04 and Bryan Tay ’12, who were not included in The Weekly Blog’s July 9 list of Tiger Olympians.)

The early headlines belonged to rower Caroline Lind ’06 of the U.S. women’s eight. Her crew won its opening heat Aug. 11 to advance to the event finals Aug. 17. In other rowing action, Lia Pernell ’03 and the U.S. women’s quadruple sculls settled for third place in their heat and will row again in a repechage Aug. 12. Three-time Olympian Paul Teti ’01 and his U.S. teammates qualified for the Aug. 13 semifinals in the men’s four.

Two Tiger classmates, Steve Coppola ’06 of the United States and Sam Loch ’06 of Australia, will face off in the first heat of the men’s eight repechage Aug. 12. Another Class of 2006 rower, Andreanne Morin, will compete with the Canadian women’s eight in the repechage Aug. 13.

Canadian soccer standout Diana Matheson ’08 started both of her team’s first two games, a 2-1 win over Argentina Aug. 6 and a 1-1 tie against China Aug. 9. The Canadians will play Sweden Aug. 12 in the last game of the preliminary round.

Wysocki, a former Princeton basketball player, started alongside NBA star Dirk Nowitzki in Germany’s opening win over Angola Aug. 10. The Germans will face Greece Aug. 12. David Blatt ’81, the Russian men’s basketball coach, won his Olympic debut against Iran. The Russians play Croatia Aug. 12.

Princeton’s two swimming competitors, Tay, an incoming freshman representing Singapore, and Doug Lennox ’09 of Puerto Rico, did not advance from their opening heats in the 200-meter freestyle and 200-meter butterfly, respectively. Lennox will swim again in the 100-meter butterfly Aug. 14.

Shooting competitor Sandra Fong ’12 will make her Olympic debut Aug. 14 in the 50-meter three-position rifle event.