Beijing Olympic Games give Hawaii a lot to cheer about

THE ISSUE Nineteen athletes with strong Hawaii ties will compete in the Summer Olympic Games.

Nearly 600 athletes representing the United States will parade into Beijing National Stadium tomorrow to join in opening the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Team USA includes 10 competitors with strong ties to Hawaii, giving island residents plenty of reason to give a special cheer.

The most high-profile member of Hawaii’s contingency is Castle High School graduate Bryan Clay, silver medalist in the 10-event decathlon in the 2004 Olympics. He is America’s best hope in more than a decade to win the gold and be declared the world’s greatest athlete. While spending most of the year training in California, he still calls Hawaii home.

Clay will have lots of company on the American team, with two other individual competitors with Hawaii connections and seven members of U.S. teams ready to battle for medals. As profiled by the Star-Bulletin’s Cindy Luis in the days leading up to the Olympics, they are:

» Natasha Kai, a Kahuku High and University of Hawaii alumna, a forward on the women’s soccer team.

» Clarissa Chun, a Roosevelt High graduate and Kapolei resident, a women’s freestyle wrestler in the 105-pound weight class who was an alternate in the 2004 Games at Athens.

» Taylor Takata, an ’Iolani High graduate and Wahiawa resident who will compete in judo in the 145-pound class.

» Brandon Brooks, a Punahou grad and goalie for the 2004 water polo team.

» Clay Stanley, a Kaiser alumnus, Honolulu resident and former University of Hawaii volleyball player who was the leading scorer for the men’s team in Athens.

Four members of the U.S. women’s volleyball team have strong ties to Hawaii:

» Heather Bown, a Californian who was a two-time All-American and two-time Western Athletic Conference player of the year at UH, will be competing in her third Olympics.

» Robyn Ah Mow-Santos of Honolulu, also a two-time All-American at UH and a three-time Olympian was a starting setter at both the Sydney and Athens Games.

» Lindsey Berg, a Punahou grad and three-time All-Big Ten selection at the University of Minnesota, who backed up Ah Mow-Santos in Athens.

» Kim Willoughby of Louisiana, a three-time WAC Player of the Year and 2003 National Player of the Year who holds six UH career records.

Hawaii also has ties to foreign teams. The Marshall Islands’ first Olympic appearance will include Hawaii residents Anju Jason (tae kwon do) and Jared Heine (swimming). The Philippines’ swimming team will include Hawaii residents Daniel Coakley and Christel Simms. UH softball players Justine Smethurst and Stacey Porter will be on Australia’s team, former UH Wahine swimmer Melanie Schlanger will compete for Australia, and former UH All-Americans Iefke Van Belkum and Meike DeNooy will be on the Netherlands’ water polo team.