Litespeed is in the Chattanooga Olympic Zone

There are a million "moving pieces" that come together to create those "unforgettable" Olympic moments. One moving piece in this year's Olympic Games that has a huge impact in creating such moments is Litespeed Bicycles, a critical moving part in the pursuit of an Olympic cyclist. Two Olympians, a mountain biker from Canada and a triathlete from Portugal, are counting on these Chattanooga-made bicycles to help them pedal their way to Gold in Beijing.

We recently visited the Litespeed factory and what we found was a team of people that are as dedicated to building these bicycles as the Olympians who ride them. Everywhere in the company, from the factory floor to the executive offices, passion, focus, and pride was part of every step in the process of building lightweight, fast bicycles.

Every community has a few companies that define its"cool factor." Litespeed is definitely one of ours. And this summer, as Chattanoogans tune into the Olympics on NBC, be sure to look for these locally-made bikes on the world's biggest stage. But don't blink - when it comes to the moving parts of these Olympic Games, none move faster than these Litespeed Bicycles.

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Tune in to WRCB's "Eyewitness News at 6" on Tuesday, July 15th to see Litespeed's "Chattanooga Olympic Zone" profile or back here on the blog where we'll post a video link to the Litespeed profile.

Joe Smith is in the Chattanooga Olympic Zone

If shuttling kids to and from soccer practice, doctor appointments, and getting them fed and to bed is a challenge in which you can relate, you will appreciate our next featured guest in the Chattanooga Olympic Zone.

As you tune into the Olympics Games one month from now, you'll be watching the world's best athletes on the world's biggest stage taking their best shot at Olympic Gold. But behind each one of those athletes is an "Olympic Team Manager" taking care of many details that allow a competitor to singularly focus on the task at hand. From getting athletes where they need to be (and on time) to keeping them healthy or just a boost of moral support at the right moment, the Olympic Team Manager is always there, 24/7 throughout the entire Games period and beyond.

Chattanoogan Joe Smith is headed to the Olympic Games in Beijing as the Team Manager for the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team. Sitting down with Joe, it quickly became evident that we were not talking to an "Olympic administrator" - we were talking to a "Team Dad" who sacrifices himself for the good of his boxers and his team. It is "behind the scenes" people like Joe who make the Olympic experience impacting and special for the athletes AND personal and meaningful for Chattanoogans watching the Games here at home. Thank you, Joe!

Don't miss Joe Smith's Chattanooga Olympic Zone profile on WRCB Channel 3 "Eyewitness News at 6" on Tuesday, July 8th. Or come back here to the Chattanooga Olympic Zone where we'll post a video link to Joe's profile.

Sean Ryan's Chattanooga Olympic Zone profile

Click on the following link to view Sean's Chattanooga Olympic Zone profile:

http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/player.html?assetid=1380

Sean Ryan is in the Chattanooga Olympics Zone

Pursuing an Olympic dream is a selfish endeavor. Finding your best performance on the international stage takes focus, determination, passion, innovation, luck and many other attributes as well. Add in an elite and fierce field of competitors pushing you to absolute limits, you quickly see there’s little time for much else. But, you do this because you want to and because the pursuit matters to you.

When Chattanooga’s Sean Ryan steps up on to the starting block at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials this month in Omaha, Nebraska, he’ll be sharing the stage with Olympic stars Michael Phelps and Aaron Piersol. This event is the premiere Olympic Trials for all Olympic sports and the ultimate display of depth in the U.S. Swimming program. While his job as a youth swim instructor at McCallie might not be a conventional part of a traditional Olympic training regimen, this work is an important part of Sean’s typical day over and above his twice daily personal workouts. What makes this story more interesting is that Sean is a kid himself – at 15 years-old, this McCallie junior-to-be has a purposeful sense of giving back and being a part of a larger community which is as much refreshing as it is inspiring.

Watch Sean in the "Chattanooga Olympic Zone" on Tuesday, June 17th, on WRCB's "Eyewitness News at 6" or tune in back here at the Chattanooga Olympic Zone blog after the broadcast.

Eric Jackson's Chattanooga Olympic Zone Profile

Please click here to view Eric Jackson's Chattanooga Olympic Zone profile:

http://www.wrcbtv.com/global/video/popup/pop_player.asp?ClipID1=2409907&h1=The%20Olympic%20Zone%3A%20E.J.%20Sparta&vt1=v&at1=News&d1=183900&LaunchPageAdTag=Olympics&activePane=info&playerVersion=1&hostPageUrl=http%3A//www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp%3FS%3D8210608&rnd=3277649

Eric Jackson is in the Chattanooga Olympic Zone

My 1992 Olympic teammate and good friend, Eric Jackson, is the subject of our next profile in the Chattanooga Olympic Zone airing this Tuesday evening, April 22nd, on WRCB’s “Channel 3 Eyewitness News at Six.” If you miss the broadcast profile, tune in back here at the Chattanooga Olympic Zone blog - we'll post the video link after the broadcast.

Based in Sparta, Tennessee, Eric owns Jackson Kayaks, the world’s largest manufacturer of whitewater kayaks. This whitewater visionary has helped to change the way people, especially kids, access the sport of whitewater kayaking close to home and around the world.

This coming weekend, Eric, along with his daughter, Emily, will compete at the U.S. Olympic Whitewater Trials in Charlotte, NC. At 44 years-old, Eric may be a long-shot to make it to Beijing this time around, but his participation in the event will be as impacting as any other and without doubt will be among the crowd favorites throughout the weekend.

I recently posted a blog entry about Eric and Emily Jackson and what their participation means to both the kayaking and Olympic communities. You can read the post here:

http://goldmedalliving.blogspot.com/2008/03/kayakings-infectious-smile.html

Stay tuned to my “Gold Medal Living” blog throughout the week as I’ll be posting stories from the Olympic Trials Charlotte about Eric and other athletes preparing to take a step closer to competing in Beijing.

Dr. Zibin Guo's Chattanooga Olympic Zone profile

Click here for the link to Dr. Guo's Chattanooga Olympic Zone profile:

http://www.wrcbtv.com/videowindow.cfm?sid=3526