Get Ready to Cheer on These Native Athletes at the 2012 London Olympics
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Mary Killman, Citizen Potawatomi Nation
Mary Killman, a 21-year-old member of Oklahoma’s Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Killman’s competing in the Synchronized Duet Technical Swimming Event for Team USA, which begins on Saturday, August 4th.
“I took to the water like a fish,” Killman told us in early June. “I originally wanted to go to the Olympics as a swimmer. It’s a different sport now but I’m still living the dream.”
Killman and her partner Mariya Koroleva will be the only American representatives in the sport at the London Games. The duet competition will feature 24 entrants and countries that did qualify for this category can only send one duets team.
Mary Spencer, First Nation Ojibway
Mary Spencer, a 27-year-old First Nation Ojibway. Spencer’s competing in the 75-kilogram middleweight boxing event for Team Canada. Spencer’s first fight will be on Sunday, August 5th. Spencer, of the Cape Croker Ojibwe First Nation in Ontario, is Canada’s powerhouse pugilist. She’s an eight-time national champion, five-time Pan-American Games champion, and three-time world champion. Spencer’s quarter-final is scheduled for August 6.
Tumua Anae, a 23-year-old Native Hawaiian, who is competing as the goalie for Team USA’s water polo team. Anae went to college at the University of Southern California (USC), where she was a finalist for the 2012 Peter J. Cutino Award, presented annually to the top American male and female polo player in the NCAA. She was a member of the 2010 NCAA Championship team at USC as well as being named 1st Team All American for the 2008, 2009 and 2010 seasons. The women’s water polo action continues until Aug. 9 when the medal matches are staged.
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