COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – At the Labor Day Lift Off at Memorial Park, Mayor John Suthers will help welcome home Colorado Springs-based Tokyo 2020 Olympians and Paralympians on Monday, Sept. 6 during the morning balloon launch.
More than a dozen athletes, including several medalists, are expected to attend and be recognized at the event, and many will be given free hot air balloon rides courtesy of the Labor Day Lift Off event organizers – Colorado Springs Sports Corporation and Hot Apple Productions.
Confirmed athletes include:
- Jennifer Valente, Olympic champion, women’s track cycling
- Kevin McDowell, Olympic silver medalist, triathlon
- Lucas Kozeniesky, Olympic silver medalist, shooting
- Kara Winger, 2020 Olympian, track & field; Team USA’s Closing Ceremony flag bearer
- Sgt. Sandra Uptagrafft, 2020 Olympian, shooting
- Spc. Benard Keter, 2020 Olympian, track & field
- Alexis Lagan, 2020 Olympian, shooting
- Maria Liana Mutia, 2020 Paralympian, judo
“Colorado Springs is the epicenter of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic movements, and that is most clearly seen in the number of athletes who live and train here in Colorado Springs,” said Mayor John Suthers. “It is an honor to have so many Team USA athletes in our midst, and we look forward to celebrating their achievements at the Labor Day Lift Off.”
Any additional athletes who are attending will be announced on Thursday, Sept. 2.
Colorado Springs and Tokyo 2020 fast facts
- More than 175 Olympians, or nearly one-third of the Tokyo 2020 U.S. Olympic Team has lived or trained in Colorado Springs
- More than 120, or more than one half of the Tokyo 2020 U.S. Paralympic Team, has lived or trained in Colorado Springs
- 53.1% (60/113) of all medals won by Team USA in the Tokyo Olympic Games were from athletes who have lived or trained in Colorado Springs, including 56.4% (22/39) of all gold medals
- If Colorado Springs-based athletes were a country at the Tokyo Olympic Games, they would have come in 20th place in total medals of the 206 countries competing
- 58.4% of all medals won by Team USA in the Tokyo Olympic Games were from National Governing Bodies headquartered in Colorado Springs
- More than half of all medals – 55.2% (39/72) – won by Team USA in the Tokyo Paralympic Games have been from athletes who have lived or trained in Colorado Springs, including 60% of all gold medals (15/25)