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  • Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 @ 10:43:18 AM
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Nordic Combined Olympic gold and silver medalists to visit overseas troops

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As most of the ski world now knows, U.S. Team Nordic athletes made Olympic history when they won not just medls, but the first ever U.S. Olympic gold medal in a Nordic event. Now the boys are taking their hardware on the world as part of a 'Heavy Medal Tour," where they'll visit troops stationed overseas. Bill Demong (Vermontville, NY), Johnny Spillane (Steamboat Springs, CO), Brett Camerota (Park City, UT) and Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, CO) will share their combined seven Olympic gold and silver medals with U.S. soldiers during this special tour.

"We're blessed to have the opportunity to compete on the world's largest sporting stage and return home from the 2010 Winter Olympics with a heavy medal load," said Johnny Spillane, four-time Olympian, World Champion and three-time Olympic silver medalist.  "Now it's time to show the world who the true HEROES are!"

"We're bringing more than 35 pounds of gold and silver in the form of Olympic medals on this tour," commented four-time Olympian, World Champion and Olympic gold and silver medalist, Bill Demong. "We're not coming home until we've met thousands of soldiers and crowned them the true gold medalists."

Spillane kicked off the Team's Olympic success with the USA's first-ever Olympic Nordic Combined medal, winning silver in the Normal Hill Combined event. Spillane was then joined by teammates Demong, Camerota and veteran Lodwick for the team competition where they again won silver. Demong and Spillane then capped off the historic Games with a gold-silver finish in the Large Hill Combined competition.

"Our goal is to see how many soldiers we can crown champions by placing our medals around their necks," says five-time Olympian, two-time World Champion and Olympic silver medalist, Todd Lodwick.

"While the guys are away, rest assured all of us at the U.S. Ski Team are going to be wearing yellow ribbons till they come home and beyond," said U.S. Ski Team Nordic Combined Head Coach Dave Jarrett about his athletes' commitment to the troops and the U.S. Ski Team's support of their efforts.

The team is set to leave in early April. Troops can expect personal interaction with the athletes, the ability to inspect the Olympic medals and opportunities to ask questions of their favorite Nordic Combined heroes. In addition, Under Armour will provide performance apparel as part of the Armed Forces Entertainment "Olympic Heavy Medal Tour."

Related tags (2): , Winter Olympics , U.S. Ski Team
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