Two NH'ers Competing at Beijing

With the Olympics underway after a spectacular opening ceremony on Friday, American athletes have made strong impressions in the early events. The men’s basketball team shut Yao Ming and his Chinese teammates down once the second quarter began, Jason Lezak showed the French 400-meter relay team who was out to crush whom, and Michael Phelps stayed on pace for a historical eight gold medals with his two toughest races out of the way.

At the controversial Beijing venue where human rights issues, walls masking unslightly parts of the city, and the horrific murder of the men’s volleyball coach’s father-in-law are clouding some of the games’ aura, two New Hampshire athletes are representing the stars and stripes.

44-year-old mother of two Joanne Dow will be representing the U.S. in the speed walking event. Her 18-year-old daughter, 16-year-old son, and her husband will be cheering her on along with Granite Staters. Dow was born in the state and still resides in Manchester. Her 20km race is set to be held at 9:00 AM local time on the 21st. Dow stated that her goal is to place in the top 25.

The other New Hampshire native to be competing in the games is Charlie Davies, a 22-year-old striker on the American soccer team, also of Manchester, NH. Currently he plays for a Swedish soccer team, Hammarby IF. The former Boston College star of Gambian descent was a finalist for the 2006 Hermann Award, the soccer equivalent of the Heisman trophy. Davies was listed as a substitute for the 2-2 tie against the Netherlands earlier in the games and his next game is yet to be determined because of the ladder structure.