IOC Member Anita DeFrantz & Olympic Villages

Since the 1996 Olympic Games, I've crossed paths with International Olympic Committee Member Anita DeFrantz a few times: During the Atlanta Games and their "one year later" celebrations, at Olympic media events, USOC or Olympic bid functions and most recently at the LA84 XXV celebration in Los Angeles.

DeFrantz shared a few minutes to describe her part in shaping the Olympic Villages of the LA Games (see video), and some of her remarks in California relate back to her answers at an Around The Rings Newsmaker Breakfast event in Beijing last summer (also on the video) held at the McDonald's on the Olympic Green.

During the Q&A with Around The Rings publisher Ed Hula and U.S. Olympians chief Willie Banks (a three-time Olympian and part of the Atlanta Olympic Village leadership team), DeFrantz answered questions about how each Olympic organizing committee can succeed by creating a pro-athlete environment at their Olympic Villages and venues.

Her work on the Villages for 1984 definitely remains part of the Olympic Village experience for each Games since.

Headshot photo via International Olympic Committee / Olympics.org bio for Anita DeFrantz

More from Dara Torres

As noted in previous post, during the Dara Torres book signing in Atlanta, she answered a few questions inspired by her new book "Age Is Just A Number." In one chapter she wrote a fairly vivid description of her pre-race routine, including moments in the Beijing Olympic Village and other Olympic Villages from her career, so I took the opportunity to ask whether she had any favorite Village experience.

Blog Catch-Up Time

It's been a whirlwind spring and blogging has been on my to-do list for days (er, weeks) ... lots of catching up to do as travel and projects at home and work kept me away (thanks to folks who kept coming back, or visited, during the lull).

For most recent post, it was the eve of Dara Torres' visit to Atlanta to conclude her book tour showcasing "Age Is Just A Number -- Achieve Your Dreams at Any Stage In Your Life." Finished the book recently, and it is worth a read.

Behind the scenes at the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum (which has several cool upcoming events), Torres shared a few minutes and answered questions about one remark in the book -- in an early chapter, she explained that while interning at NBC, she helped log tape, and a video of fellow Olympian, Brian Boitano, was part of her inspiration to get back in the pool competitively.