Colorado Champions: Local athletes shine in Tokyo, bring home Olympic medals

COLORADO SPRINGS - Colo. Here in Olympic City USA, we have a lot of Olympians. Some train here, some are native. And the lucky ones are coming back from Tokyo with medals. The hardware roundup from the Summer Games spanning to a lot of sports as well.

Ana Zolotic started things off strong for Colorado Springs. Before the 18-year-old left for Tokyo, she had her eye on the prize.

"Gold medal all the way," said Zolotic.

And gold it was, with Zolotic making history too. She became the first woman to medal for USA Taekwondo at the Olympics.

Next was William Shaner who also made history with a new Olympic record to win the 10-meter air rifle gold medal.

"It feels amazing, I've been doing this a long time and a lot of years of hard work," said Shaner. "To see it finally pay off is really nice."

The humble champion isn't the only one from USA Shooting to top the podium. U.S. Army 1st Lt. Amber English also won the women's skeet, and Mary Tucker and Lucas Kozeniesky earned the silver in mixed air rifle.

On the women's wrestling mat, Tamyra Mensah-Stock earned a historic win. In freestyle wrestling, Adeline Gray took home a silver medal, as did Coronado High School graduate Kyle Snyder. On the track, Paul Chelimo finished with the bronze medal in the men's 5,000-meter race.

UCCS student Jennifer Valente pedaled to gold in the women's track cycling omnium.

And finally comes Colorado Springs volleyball star, Haleigh Washington. The Doherty state champ led the women's indoor volleyball team to its first Olympic gold.

"I can't believe it's real, it's pretty cool," said Washington. "To think that little knock-kneed gangly girl that played volleyball because she wasn't allowed to play football is now holding an Olympic gold medal blows my mind, just crazy," Washington told KRDO.

Washington and the rest of the winning team helped the United States pull ahead of China, claiming the most Olympic gold medals at the 2020 Summer Olympics. The U.S. had 39 gold medals total, six of them won by Colorado Springs athletes.

Also something to note, both athletes who were voted to be flag bearers at the closing ceremonies train here in Colorado Springs. Sam Mikulak is a three-time Olympic gymnast and Kara Winger is a four-time Olympic javelin thrower.

Colorado Springs Paralympians are on their way to Tokyo now. Competition starts on August 24.