Meet Your Olympians

They've put in innumerable hours of sweat, blood and tears to get where they are today. They are among the best of the best and are ready to prove their mettle. 529 athletes from 45 states will represent the United States at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

They are competing in events as diverse as athletics, fencing, rowing, soccer and basketball. For everyone, from swimmer Katie Ledecky, 15, to 54-year-old equestrian jumper Karen O’Connor, these Games represent the culmination of all the hard work and dedication they've put in to win the coveted medal.

It's time to meet the Olympians from Patch towns in Georgia!

Eric Hurd, 26, of Woodstock earned the Olympic boat quota slot in Men’s Slalom Kayak for the U.S. by winning Gold at the 2012 Pan American Championships in Foz do Iguassu, Brazil on March 10.

Hurd then earned points toward Olympic selection by finishing 1st at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Charlotte on April 14. Finally, Hurd clinched a spot for himself in the Canoe Slalom C2 with a 9th place finish at the 2012 World Cup No. 1 in Cardiff, Wales on June 10.

Hurd, whose nickname is "Butter," is following in the wake of his paddling father, Mike Hurd.

Eric Hurd's training began at the “waterworks” in Atlanta- a single class II rapid with numerous gates set up for training during the week. On weekends he and his father would travel to the Nantahala Outdoor Center, in western North Carolina, for more extensive workouts on the Nantahala River. In August 2006, the US National Whitewater Center opened in Charlotte, North Carolina. Naturally, Eric moved to train on the hardest racecourse ever built in the country.

But, Butter? Eric said he got the nickname in 1999 while training on the Potomac River in Washington, DC. with a team of all ages.

"I was the youngest, so naturally, I was the one to get the dares and pranks. One evening, while at a steak restaurant, my teammates bet that I couldn’t eat all the butter that came with the bread appetizer. Of course, looking up to the older athletes, I ate it all - without thinking twice. It was just one of those nicknames that stuck."

The nickname fully solidified on a world level later that summer. "At the Junior World Championships in Poland, I had just [secured] 15th place in the world for the “18-and-under” category. I was 13. My coach came over to me and said, 'I guess you’ve got to be Butter, because you are on a roll.' ”

Here are a few quick facts about your Olympians!

Janet Bawcom
Sex : Female
Competing in Athletics
Event / position / class : 10000m
Age : 33
From : Rome

Kathleen Hersey
Sex : Female
Competing in Swimming
Event / position / class : 200m fly
Age : 22
From : Roswell

Tim Hornsby
Sex : Male
Competing in Canoe/Kayak
Event / position / class : Kayak - Sprint K1 200 metres
Age : 25
From : Atlanta

Jeff Larimer
Sex : Male
Competing in Canoe/Kayak
Event / position / class : Canoe Slalom C2
Age : 30
From : Marietta

Aries Merritt
Sex : Male
Competing in Athletics
Event / position / class : 110m Hurdles
Age : 26
From : Marietta

Maya Moore
Sex : Female
Competing in Basketball
Event / position / class : Guard
Age : 23
From : Lawrenceville

Eric Shanteau
Sex : Male
Competing in Swimming
Event / position / class : 100m breast
Age : 28
From : Lilburn

Angelo Taylor
Sex : Male
Competing in Athletics
Event / position / class : 400 m hurdles
Age : 33
From : Decatur

Dee Dee Trotter
Sex : Female
Competing in Athletics
Event / position / class : 400m
Age : 29
From : Decatur

Amanda Weir
Sex : Female
Competing in Swimming
Event / position / class : 400m free relay
Age : 26
From : Lawrenceville

Donald Young
Sex : Male
Competing in Tennis
Event / position / class : Singles
Age : 22
From : Atlanta

Looking for a way to celebrate the Olympics locally? You can find local events for Olympic Fun Day on July 28 on the Let’s Move website, which has a page about how to set up your own local Olympics. 

Also check out our Directory and Events Calendar for listings of places where you can learn and participate in Olympic sports ranging from basketball to karate, gymnastics, swimming and more.