Olympic spirit overcomes bombing

Published: Monday, July 29, 1996

Although no athletes were injured, bomb in Olympic Park adds to pallor of GamesBy Marie Blanchard

Summer Bruin Senior Staff

When Gary Adams heard that a bomb had exploded in Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park, his first thought was if two of his players Jim Parque and Troy Glaus, who are playing on the U.S. Olympic baseball team, had been hurt.

"First I was worried about Jim and Troy and then I figured they would be at the Olympic Village. Then I was worried about their families," said Adams, UCLA's head baseball coach.

Adams wasn't the only one from Southern California worrying. There are currently 48 former, current or future Bruin athletes competing at the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta, 11 of which presently attend UCLA. Although none were hurt by the actual bomb, its impact has hit close to home.

"The bombing was a travesty," said Jennifer Poree, a second-year undeclared student and UCLA swimming teammate of gold medalist Annette Salmeen.

"I was really worried about Annette, but she was in the Village when it happened. It's just a shame because it a put a damper on a wonderful event. Something like this can really ruin the hopes of some young athletes," Poree said.

Others close to UCLA's Olympic athletes agreed.

"(The bomb) was so unfair. The athletes are trying so hard and it's just terrible that one idiot could ruin it all," said Marie Kilpatre, the grandmother of UCLA's Suzanne Powell, a discus competitor.

According to Kilpatre, the coach has told Powell and other track and field athletes not to leave the Olympic Village except to compete as a result of the bombing.

No athletes were injured in the attack according to Mike Moron, spokesman for the U.S. Olympic Committee. However, "there's been a heightened security activity, especially for the athletes in the Village," Moron said.

Yet Adams and Kilpatre are glad the games are continuing as planned, despite a change of tone.

"The bombing really angered me, saddened me and disgusted me. The games should be treated like a birthday party for these athletes and now there'll have to be a funeral after these celebrations," Adams said.

"Suzy and the other athletes worked so hard to get to the Olympics we can't give in to some terrorist," Kilpatre said.

With reports from Bruin wire services