From the Mayor

from theMAYOR

These are kids who were born in Ocala and went to public school here and even learned to skate here, getting their formative training that would lead them to eventually earning Olympic medals.

Time to celebrate Ocala’s Olympians

BY MAYOR KENT GUINN

Let’s have a parade! Like every other Ocalan, I am swelled with pride over the accomplishments of our three Olympians during last month’s Beijing Olympics, and a parade to welcome them home is just the thing to let them know how much we appreciate them.

Erin Jackson, Brittany Bowe and Joey Mantia accomplished what no amount of chamber of commerce marketing ever could: They put Ocala on the map of international players and conducted themselves in a manner that spoke well of their Central Florida rearing. In these three athletes, we have some of the finest ambassadors of their sport and their hometown.

We are not talking about three people who have passed through here for a short spell on their way to speedskating glory – these are kids who were born in Ocala and went to public school here and even learned to skate here, getting their formative training that would lead them to eventually earning Olympic medals.

In April, the three are set to come home and a glorious Ocala welcome should be in the offing, one with a parade and downtown celebration. I see no reason Ocalans by the thousands should not show up to pay tribute to their favorite son and daughters. Bowe and Mantia are the elder statesmen of the group and they were able to each haul in bronze medals at Beijing – Bowe in the women’s 1000m and Mantia as a member of the men’s team pursuit. At ages 33 and 36, respectively, Bowe’s and Mantia’s accomplishments are especially noteworthy. For Bowe, perhaps being the flag bearer for the U.S. team at the opening ceremonies was as big an honor as any. For Jackson, winning the gold medal in the women’s 500m was significant not just because she is a native Floridian beating all comers in a winter Olympic sport, but also for being the first black American woman to medal in speedskating. At age 29, she still has some years left in her and hopefully we will see her compete in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy. It’s hard to calculate just how much of an inspiration Jackson has been to little girls all over the country who are convinced they can achieve great things like her and that there are no barriers strong enough to keep them from pursuing their dreams.

I hope everyone realizes just how special a moment this was for these athletes and for Ocala. Boasting three Olympic medalists from one city is hard enough if you happen to be a large metropolitan area like Chicago or Philadelphia, but a small town in Central Florida like Ocala? We are used to seeing local athletes hit it big in football, baseball and basketball, but for it to happen in speedskating where nary an ice rink exists?

This speaks volumes of their inline skating coach Renee Hildebrand at Skate-A-Way South, who set them on their paths to stardom. To coach up three locals who would be inspired to take their talents to the ice and reach the elite level they have is truly remarkable and I believe deserves some recognition at our celebration.

By now, many of you have no doubt noticed the Clear Channel billboards touting the exploits of these three athletes and soon we should have details about a parade and celebration downtown or even elsewhere. When it happens, we can show these athletes just how much everyone here appreciates the hard work they have put in and the impact they have made on this town.