Celebrated New York Athletic Club comes to the ORC

19 | 8 | 2016

One hundred and fifty members of the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) came together at the Rio 2016 Olympians Reunion Centre by EY to celebrate the club’s rich Olympic history and support its athletes competing in Rio.

Founded in 1868 in order to bring structure to the developing world of amateur sport in the United States, the club has gone on to become one of the most celebrated athletic clubs in the U.S.A, boasting over 9000 members.

The NYAC has 68 members competing at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and between them they have so far won 13 medals: ten gold, one silver and two bronze. Prior to Rio the club claims a total 248 medals, with a member competing in every Olympiad since the first modern Olympic Games were staged in Athens in 1896, with the exception of Moscow in 1980.

At the reception Tommy Lynch, Captain of Athletics at the NYAC, Chris Judge, Chairman of Water Polo and Cedric Jones, Director of Athletics all spoke and thanked the athletes and their families and friends for their support.

Cedric Jones, NYAC Director of Athletics, said:

“They sacrifice a lot so we wanted to thank them for everything they do. There are lots of unsung heroes behind every Olympian and every medal.

“The Olympians Reunion Centre is a great venue. Having a home for Olympians at the Games is a great idea and it’s such a good place for a reception. 

 “Our mission is to support amateur athletics. And we are so proud of the job that our athletes did here in Rio. Now we are looking forward to seeing our eight athletes competing in the water polo gold match. And we have three in Modern Pentathlon which is really exciting.”