Tag: SportsTravel

Janet Evans

When it comes to understanding the athlete experience at a major international competition, Janet Evans knows of what she speaks. In 1987, at the age of 15, she broke world swimming records in the 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle. At the 1988 Olympics, she won three gold medals, then followed in 1992 with another gold and a silver. At the 1996 Games she failed to medal, but nonetheless became part of Olympic history by handing the torch to Muhhamad Ali in one of the Games’ most iconic moments. Today, she is vice-chair and director of athlete relations for the LA 2024 bid committee, and has taken on the charge of making sure athletes’ voices are heard as Los Angeles competes against Paris, Rome and Budapest. In this interview with SportsTravel’s Jason Gewirtz, Evans discusses the role of athletes in the bid, her start in swimming and the power of the Olympic movement.…