“I’m just coming from Universal Studios where we’re putting squash at Courthouse Square on the Universal Studio lot,” Janet Evans told KNX News this week. “So, introducing a new sport to the Olympic Games on an incredible venue, an incredible backdrop.”
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Evans is an Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer and chief athlete officer for the upcoming games. She caught up with KNX’s Jeff Blodgett to discuss the new list of venues, from squash on the lot known as the backdrop of “Back to the Future” and more to surfing at Trestles in San Clemente.
Sure, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics might be years away, but the new announcement of venues throughout the region this week has excitement ramping up.
“I’m as jaded and cynical as the next journalist, but I have to admit, I’m gonna be really excited to see the Olympics come to the San Fernando Valley,” admitted the LA Local’s own Jonathan Serviss. “Could it get any cooler than Olympic skateboarding in the valley? Far out, man. Totally.”
Evans also stressed Serviss’ point in her chat with Blodgett. LA28 won’t be happening just in the city of LA.
“We’ve been working really hard on making sure that the greater Los Angeles area, our communities, other counties have the opportunity to experience the Olympic Games and also quite frankly, the Paralympic Games when they come a couple of weeks later,” Evans said.
Some of the sites she mentioned include sports in Long Beach, baseball at Dodger Stadium, cricket at the Pomona Fairgrounds, Gymnastics at the Crypto.com Arena, flag football at BMO Stadium and track and field at the Coliseum. That will mark the third time the Coliseum has hosted track and field at The Olympics, Evans noted.
“The 1984 Olympics were what inspired me,” said the Orange County native. “I was 12 years old. I went to opening ceremonies. I went to swimming on the USC campus.”
Though those 1984 games in LA were initially criticized for depending heavily on existing facilities and corporate sponsors, according to the International Olympics Committee, they were a great success and became a model for future games. Evans remembers listening to KNX every morning before her training, holding that inspiration from 1984 in her mind as she worked to become an Olympian herself.
“Just the opportunity for athletes to have world-class facilities to compete in and fans from all over the world that call Los Angeles home, right, those are the things that are so great and why the Olympics is such a great spot in Los Angeles,” she added.
Some other LA28 venue highlights include: boxing at the Peacock Theater, beach volleyball and rowing on the Long Beach waterfront, cricket at the Pomona Fairgrounds, equestrian events at Santa Anita and rugby in Carson.
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