My rooting interest in the Olympic Games is based almost entirely on geography. The closer an athlete’s hometown to my hometown, the more rooting I’m doing.
The Tokyo Olympics open a week from Friday. So let’s see who will be representing North Texas, along with Team USA, from among the 627 qualifying American athletes. I pulled the following names and biographical details from Team USA’s website. I found eight athletes from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but if I missed anybody, shout at me in the comments and I’ll add them to the list.
One name you won’t find here is that of Sha’Carri Richardson, the Oak Cliff track sensation and one of the fastest women alive. The sprinter was suspended from competing after she tested positive for using marijuana. The marijuana ban is bad, unfair, dumb — pick your adjective. She should be running. But she’ll be back.
Here is the rest of the North Texas contingent of Team USA.
Tom Scott (Karate)
- Hometown: Richardson
- High School: Jesuit College Prep Dallas
- College: Texas Christian University
- Additional Local Cred: Member of Plano’s Academy of Classical Karate; master’s degree from UT Dallas
Hailey Hernandez (Diving)
- Hometown: Southlake
- High School: Southlake Carroll High School
- Additional Local Cred: Member of North Texas-based competitive dive team GC Divers
Ariel Atkins (Basketball)
- Hometown: Dallas
- High School: Duncanville High School
- Fun Fact(s): Plays for the WNBA’s Washington Mystics; named to the WNBA All-Defensive second team for three years straight
Jourdan Delacruz (Weightlifting)
- Hometown: Wylie
- Fun Fact(s): Strong as hell
Chiaka Ogbogu (Volleyball)
- Hometown: Coppell
- High School: Coppell High School
- Additional Local Cred: In high school, helped Coppell win a pair of state titles
- Fun Facts: All-time blocks leader for University of Texas
Austin Krajicek (Tennis)
- Hometown: Plano
- College: Texas A&M
Austen Smith (Shotgun Shooting: Skeet)
- Hometown: Keller
- High School: Grapevine’s iUniversity Prep
- Additional Local Cred: Studies aerospace engineering at UT Arlington; her 20th birthday is day of Opening Ceremony
Jasmine Moore (Track and Field: Triple Jump)
- Hometown: Grand Prairie
- High School: Mansfield Lake Ridge
- Additional Local Cred: Nine-time state champion; featured in some nice Dallas Morning News coverage
