The XXXIII Olympiad opened today in Paris, France. More than 500 U.S. athletes will join participants from over 200 countries competing in over 30 different sports (more if you count all the individual track and field events). Several athletes with northern Illinois connections will give it their all over the next two weeks of the Games. Libertyville is not represented this year, but a few athletes with Libertyville connections have completed in the past.
[Profiles adapted from Libertyville High School Athletic History : The First 100 Years (1918-2017) by Dale Eggert]
Dorothy Wihr Dodson, Libertyville Township High School Class of 1935, Track & Field, 1948 Olympics
Dorothy Wihr would have been the U.S. javelin favorite for the 1940 and 1944 Olympics cancelled due to World War II. She clinched her spot in 1948 at age 29 by winning the national javelin title. That same year Dorothy also finished 2nd in the shot put and discus. This qualified her for all three weight throwing events—the last U.S. athlete, male or female, to do so. At the Olympics, she finished 12 centimeters short of a bronze medal in the javelin.
Dorothy competed in all sports offered by the high school’s Girls Athletic Association. She won the Newsom Award for the outstanding senior girl athlete of 1935. Boys track coach Larry Crawford invited her to track practice her junior year. He was impressed and encouraged her to compete with the Chicago Hurricanes club. Dorothy became the best women javelin thrower in the nation. She won her first national title in 1939 and every U.S. javelin title through 1949—11 titles in a row. She also won three U.S. titles in the shot put (1944, 1946, and 1947) and one in the discus (1946).
Bob Buzzard, Libertyville High School teacher, Wrestling, 1972 Olympics
Bob came to Libertyville High School for the 1970 school year to teach Industrial Arts and be the head wrestling coach. Before that, he was an assistant wrestling coach at Eastern Michigan University and a two-time All-American wrestler at Iowa State. Bob left LHS after the 1972 school year, taking a teaching/coaching job in Oregon. Before he left, he qualified for the 1972 Olympics in Greco-Roman Wrestling at 149 pounds. He competed at the games in Munich, but did not place.
Bill Clay, Libertyville High School Class of 1992, Cycling, 1996 Olympics
Bill Clay placed 2nd at the 1990 Junior National Championships and placed 7th in 1991. His senior year of high school he moved up to the open division. He took 5th in the 1992 Nationals, 2nd in 1993, and 5th in 1994. In 1995, Bill won the National Championship. He finished 12th at the 1996 Olympics held in Atlanta.
Laura Zeng, Libertyville High School Class of 2018, Rhythmic Gymnastics, 2016 & 2020 Olympics
Laura was the first USA Rhythmic Gymnast to qualify for two Olympics. The summer after her sophomore year, she competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She finished 11th — matching the USA Olympic Rhythmic Gymnastics high finish. Laura was a two-time Junior National All-Around Champion. She set a record by winning five consecutive Senior National All-Around Championships (2015-2019). At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021 due to the COVID pandemic), Laura finished 13th in the individual all-around qualification round and was the third reserve for the final.
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Categories: Local History
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