|
By Elliott Almond, SJ Mercury News
October 13, 2002— An innovative,
international sports festival will come
to San Jose in February as the U.S. Olympic
Committee moves to broaden exposure for
Olympic sports, the group announced Friday.
About 180 athletes, including leading Olympic
candidates, will compete in the Titan Games
on Feb. 14-15 at the Event Center at San
Jose State. Boxing, fencing, judo, karate,
shot put, tae kwon do, weightlifting and
wrestling will be the featured sports. USOC
officials hope this will be the first of
many festivals as they launch an ambitious
plan to galvanize interest for the public
and sponsors.
The multi-sport atmosphere also is appealing
to athletes and coaches preparing for international
competitions. Three or four events will
be held simultaneously.
``It is an opportunity to not only prepare
for what it is like in the Games, but to
bring the spirit of the Games to communities,''
Dragomir Cioroslan, the U.S. men's weightlifting
coach, said Friday.
Said 1996 Olympic fencer Susie Paxton of
San Francisco: ``It's a great way to showcase
those sports that don't get a lot of recognition.
From a spectator's point of view, it would
be more fun to spend an afternoon watching
five events instead of one.''
The games also could benefit the Bay Area
if San Francisco becomes the United States'
candidate for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
The USOC plans to choose between New York
and San Francisco on Nov. 2. If San Francisco
wins, Bay Area bid leaders could showcase
the area to members of the international
Olympic family who would attend the Titan
Games.
USOC executive director Lloyd Ward wanted
a way to build interest in the Olympics
before the 2003 Pan American Games in the
Dominican Republic and the 2004 Athens Games.
He said he wanted to tell the story of the
journey it takes to become an Olympian.
``Most Americans don't understand what it
really takes,'' Ward said.
San Jose was a logical choice for the first
event because of its diversity, said Steve
Brunner, a USOC administrator. International
teams will have an Asian and Hispanic slant,
he said.
``San Jose is an epicenter for these sports,''
Brunner added.
|
