Olympians On Parade -- Bidding Roundup

(ATR) Three Olympians with ties to Los Angeles’ bid to host the 2024 Games have been chosen as grand marshals for the 128th Rose Bowl Parade.

The Tournament of Roses announced today that Southern California natives Greg Louganis, Allyson Felix and Janet Evans will share the honors at the New Year’s event.

Louganis, a four-time gold medalist, is considered one of the greatest divers in history.

Felix, who has won six golds and three silvers in track and field, is still competing and recently took home two gold medals at the Rio Games.

Both are members of the LA 2024 Athletes’ Commission.

Evans won three gold medals and broke seven world records during her swimming career. She is currently a vice-chair for the LA 2024 bid as well as serving as its director of athlete relations.

"On behalf of LA 2024, we’re thrilled that three of Southern California’s greatest Olympians will lead the world-famous Rose Parade and share our city’s Olympic passion with viewers across the globe," said LA 2024 Chairman Casey Wasserman in a statement.

The 2017 edition of the parade will take place on Jan. 2.

Los Angeles is competing with Paris and Budapest to host the 2024 Summer Games. The IOC is set to name the winner at its Session in Lima, Peru in September 2017.

German President Wants to Bid on Olympic Games

Germany’s president is calling for a renewed effort to land an Olympic Games for the country.

Joachim Gauck made the comments in a speech during an event Wednesday in Berlin honoring the German medalists from the recent Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Germany has had no success bidding for either the Winter or Summer Games in recent years. Munich finished a distant second to PyeongChang for the right to host in 2018 while Hamburg’s bid for the 2024 Games ended in late 2015 when the city’s residents voted it down in a referendum.

Gauck, as quoted by Sport1, said despite the setbacks he sees "good opportunities" for a future German Olympic bid.

The German president also made clear his disdain for doping during his speech.

"Doping destroys not only the health of the athletes, it destroys the sport itself," Gauck said: "We do not accept that!"

The athletes in attendance reacted to those words with applause.

Written by Gerard Farek

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