Among the 555 members of Team USA at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janerio, Brazil, are 16 U.S. Servicemembers. The athletes represent the Army, Navy and Air Force competing in events ranging from rowing, to track and field, to shooting.
The opening ceremonies for the 2016 Games are Friday, August 5.
Best of luck to all of these athletes in Rio!
Here is a list of the athletes and their bios:
Hillary Bor
Hillary Bor was born in Eldoret, Kenya. He moved to the U.S. and attended Iowa State University on a scholarship, where he earned his degree in Accounting. Hillary gained American citizenship by joining the U.S. Army. He is currently a sergeant serving at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Earlier this year, he and his brothers, who both ran track and field at the University of Alabama, teamed up to win the All Armed Forces Cross-Country Championships. He is a member of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program. He is competing in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in the 2016 Olympic Games. Olympic Experience
Other Career Highlights
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 Paul Chelimo
Paul Chelimo was born in Iten, Kenya. He moved to the U.S. in 2010 to run for Shorter College. He transferred to the University of North Carolina, Greensboro in 2011 and graduated in 2013 with a degree in Public Health. He was named the Southern Conference Runner of the Year for the second straight season in 2012. Paul attained U.S. citizenship by joining the U.S. Army and the World Class Athlete Program in 2014. He is currently a Specialist in the U.S. Army. Paul aspires to become a water treatment specialist in Kenya and establish a water treatment plant in his native country. He is competing in track and field in the 2016 Olympic Games. Olympic Experience
World Championship Experience
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 Glenn Eller
Glen Eller was born in Houston, Texas. He graduated from Auburn University in 2004. Walton is a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2012. His hobbies include wakeboarding, playing golf and hunting. Walton is competing in double trap in the 2016 Olympic Games. Olympic Experience
World Championship Experience
Other Career Highlights
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 Vincent Hancock
Vincent Hancock was born on March 19, 1989 in Port Charlotte, Florida. He graduated from Troy University in 2014 with a degree in business management. Vincent is a former sergeant in the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and the Distinguished International Shooter Badge. Vincent is working towards his goal of running a successful shooting academy. He volunteers at the Scholastic Clay Target Program and the Youth Target Foundation to promote the sport of shooting to youth, and enjoys playing golf, hunting and fishing. He is competing in the skeet shoot in the 2016 Olympic Games. Olympic Experience
World Championship Experience
Other Career Highlights
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 David Higgins
David Higgins was born in San Clemente, Califormia. He graduated this year from the Air Force Academy with an economics degree. He enjoys rock climbing, sailing and surfing. He is competing in rifle shooting in the 2016 Olympic Games. Olympic Experience
Other Career Highlights
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 Sam KendricksArmy Reservist 2nd Lt. Sam Kendricks, 23, of Oxford, Mississippi, broke an Olympic trials record in the pole vault, clearing the bar at 19 feet, 4.75 inches.Olympic Experience
World Championship Experience
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 Edward King
Edward King graduated from the Naval Academy in 2011 with an oceanography degree. He is currently an officer in the Navy. Edward is a member of US Rowing Training Center- Oklahoma City. He enjoys surfing, running, swimming, skiing and outdoor activities. Edward is competing in the lightweight four in the 2016 Olympic Games. He will become the first rower from the Naval Academy to race at the Olympic Games since 1988. Olympic Experience
World Championship Experience
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 Shadrack Kipchirchir
Shadrack Kipchirchir was in Kenya and moved to the U.S. to attend Western Kentucky University before transferring to Oklahoma State University, where he graduated in 2014 with a construction engineering degree. Shadrack began running when he moved to the United States and earned All-America honors in his second year at Western Kentucky. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in October 2014 and joined the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program shortly after. His interests include watching movies. He is competing in the 10,000-meter race in the 2016 Olympic Games. Olympic Experience
World Championship Experience
Other Career Highlights
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Leonard Korir
Leonard Korir was born in Iten, Kenya. He moved to the U.S. In 2009to attend Western Kentucky University before transferring to Oklahoma State University, where he graduated in 2014 with a construction engineering degree. He began running when he moved to the United States and earned All-America honors in his second year at Western Kentucky. He then attended Iona College, where he earned a degree in Political Science. Korir competed in both cross-country and track and field there. He is an eight-time NCAA All-American. He is competing in the 10,000-meter race in the 2016 Olympic Games. Olympic Experience
Other Career Highlights
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Dan Lowe
Dan Lowe was born in Federal Way, Washington. He is a sergeant first class in the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. He enjoys sailing and being out on the water. Edward is competing in the 10m Air (rifle shooting) in the 2016 Olympic Games. Olympic Experience
Other Career Highlights
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Michael McPhail
Michael McPhail was born in Platteville, Wisconsin. He attended the University of Washington at Oshkosh, where he earned a business degree. He is served as a sergeant first class in the U.S. Army Marksmanship unit. His interests include boating, hunting, training dogs, fishing and being outdoors. Michael began shooting in hopes of becoming a better hunter. Michael lives in Darlington, Wisconsin. He is competing in the 50m prone (rifle shooting) event in the 2016 Olympic Games. Olympic Experience
World Championship Experience
Other Career Highlights
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John Nunn
John Nunn graduated from both the University of Wisconsin and Palomar College. John competed in cross-country and race walking in college. John owns and operates a gourmet cookie business, Ella’s Cookies with his daughter, Ella. His interests include surfing and cooking. John is a member of the U.S. Army Olympic team. He is competing in the 50k race walk event in the 2016 Olympic Games. Olympic Experience
World Championship Experience
Other Career Highlights
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 Joshua Richmond
Joshua Richmond was born in Sayre, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Troy State online in 2014. He is a member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. He earned the Army Commendation Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, U.S. International Distinguished Badge and the Grenade Marksmanship Badge. Joshua is competing in the double trap (shooting) event in the 2016 Olympic Games.Olympic Experience
World Championship Experience
Other Career Highlights
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Keith Sanderson
Keith Sanderson was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is a member of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program. Keith currently serves as chief marksman instructor of the USMC base in Hawaii. He began shooting in 1996 in U.S. Marine Corps matches. Keith spent eight years with the USMC and more than eight years in the U.S. Army. He is competing in the 25m rapid fire (shooting) event in the 2016 Olympic Games. Olympic Experience
World Championship Experience
Other Career Highlights
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 Nathan Schimsher
Nathan Schrimsher was born in Roswell, New Mexico. He is a member of the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program. Nathan trains at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs alongside his brother Lucas. Nathan is a wildlife enthusiast, an expert at bird identification. He grew up on a cattle ranch near Roswell where his family raises brangus cattle, paint and andalusian horses and mule deer. Nathan is competing in the pentathlon event in the 2016 Olympic Games.
2009 Youth Olympic Games Qualification Event (Argentina): 3rd 2008 USA National Championships Youth A: GOLD 2007 USA National Championships Youth B: GOLD |
 Cale Simmons
Cale Simmons grew up in Rocklin, California. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2013 with a degree in basic sciences. Cale is a member of the U.S. Air Force’s World Class Athlete Program. Cale enjoys skiing, rock climbing, skydiving, scuba diving, hiking, cliff diving, camping, longboarding and playing frisbee. He is competing in the pole vault event in the 2016 Olympic Games. Olympic Experience
Other Career Highlights
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I Love my Country where I was born, The United States of America, formed as a Nation under GOD, so America, let’s support our brothers and sisters in Rio! Thank you Mr. President Obama and family for your 08 years of service to our United States of America, as our Commander-in-Chief, First Lady, and First African-American family in The White House! We Love you for jobs well done, the whole Obama family❤
Congratulations to our USA team in Rio, and an extra “Hooowwwaaa” to all of the USA Military service personnel who represent our Country, freedom, and strength wearing the uniform and boots as active protectors under GOD ALMIGHTY, 1st, and Commander-in-Chief, with their lives and freedom, as all, including myself, who swore to our Nation to protect against all enemies, both foreign and domestic! To all, thank you for your service to this great Nation under GOD!
There are 16 servicemembers in the video, but only 14 in the bios list. Can you correct that please? Thanks much.
GOD BLESS, I NEED, MONETARY, AND MEDICAL HELP, WITH SOME TOYS !
LOVE & LIGHT
BUFFALO. SOLDIER !
Fellow Buffalo Soldier! 2/10 Air Cav Squadron.
Great job, Megan, I read every word and I’m a highly-critical person. Good to read some good, wholesome news. I’m glad the Marine Corps got at least a tiny mention. If they included poetry as an event – as the Greeks did – I might get the Marine Corps mentioned more!
All the best,
Peter Garland
US’nAye
Please explain if/when Leonard Korir obtained US Citizenship, and how. Certainly, all who hail from Kenya aren’t automatically considered Citizens at will, like the potus?
The VA needs to have veterans on their compensation commity. You have people making decisions who don’t know what it is like living on ships with 359 other guys. If you have a problem, everyone knows about it so you keep it to yourself, if you are seeking a law enforcement career after your service, you can’t have a mental health jacket, so you have to live with it. Then when your career is over you seek help and they denie you because you didn’t seek help while you are active. This is because they don’t know what it is like, cause they didn’t walk the walk.
there is no established format to the biography to the athletes, case in point:
“Shadrack Kipchirchir was in Kenya and moved to the U.S” all others stated place of birth, was Mr. Kipchirchir a tourist, or from another African country? was he born in Kenya? just an observation.
There are numerous editing problems with this article on service members who are Olympic athletes.
Please correct because these distinguished service-members deserve better.
Cliff Daniel
Thank you, Mr. Daniel, for catching those edits. We’ve made the updates.
Ha…is that a joke?
To whom it may concern,
The VA Mayaguez in Puerto Rico does not respond to calling calls. My father was released from private hospital due to pneumonia. I made many calls to inform he won’t be able to attend a lab appointment scheduled for today 8/4. It is a nightmare,they transferred me to 5 different extensions until they put me with lab department. No one picked up and cut off the call. My father is 88 yrs. old with fragil health.This matter is a routine issue,impossible to reach any department. Something must be done. They should learned from FT. Myers VA clinic. Excellent service and very organized.
Hope to hear from VA executive office very soon. Thanks for the attention to this matter.
Eldy Correa Rosas, daughter
Eldy, thank you for commenting. We’ve passed your comment on to our Veterans Health Administration counterparts for follow up.