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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Hawaii's athletes in the 2008 Olympics

Brandon Brooks BRANDON BROOKS

Hometown: Honolulu (Punahou 1999)

DOB: 4/29/81

Sport: Water polo

Position: Goalie

Height: 6-6

Weight: 240

Previous Olympics: 2004 (7th)

Career highlights: Starting goalie at 2004 Games ... Member of 2003 and 2005 World Championship squads ... Started for NCAA championship teams at UCLA in 1999 and 2000 ... Four-time All-American (1999-2002) who left as career saves leader (700) ... Walked-on to UCLA basketball team his freshman year ... ILH Player of the Year and first-team high school All-American in 1999 ... Three-time all-state basketball player and captain of Punahou's state championship basketball and track teams as senior ... Graduated from UCLA in sociology in 2002 ... Helped coach UCLA men's and women's teams since 2004 ... Hawai'i has had a player on the U.S. men's team at past six Olympics — Chris Duplanty (1988, '92 and '96), Sean Kern (2000) and Brooks (2004 and '08).

Robyn Ah Mow-Santos ROBYN AH MOW-SANTOS

Hometown: Honolulu

Hawai'i connection: McKinley '93, University of Hawai'i 1993-'96

DOB: 2/2/75

Sport: Volleyball

Height: 5-7

Weight: 157

Position: Setter

Previous Olympics: 2000 (4), 2004 (T5)

Career highlights: Led U.S. to Olympic-qualification victory over Japan last year, setting Team USA to .458 attack percentage ... Best Setter at 2006 Pan American Cup ... Starting setter since just before 2000 Games and led U.S. to fifth place in Athens ... Helped U.S. to fourth-place Olympic finish in Sydney and gold medals at 2001 and 2003 NORCECA Zone Championships, and 2001 World Grand Prix ... Earned "Best Setter" honors at 2003 NORCECA six months after giving birth to son Jordan ... Played professionally past four seasons in Switzerland where she was named league MVP ... Has also played in Italy and Portugal ... With national team since 1999 ... Third on UH career assist list with 4,313 assists ... Helped UH to 66-4 record her final two seasons and ended career in 1996 NCAA championship ... First-team All-American in 1995 and '96 ... Graduated in 1996 with degree in sociology.

Lindsey Berg LINDSEY BERG

Hometown: Honolulu

Hawai'i connection: Punahou '98

DOB: 7/16/80

Sport: Volleyball

Height: 5-8

Weight: 170

Position: Setter

Previous Olympics: 2004 (T5)

Career highlights: Named "Best Setter" during two of the three legs of the 2006 World Grand Prix (Macau and Bangkok) ... Starting setter for U.S. team that captured silver medal at season-ending FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in Japan in 2005 ... Joined national team in January, 2003 ... Named Best Setter at 2005, 2004 and 2003 Pan American Cup ... Played professionally in Italy past four years ... Guided Minnesota Chill to U.S. Professional Volleyball League championship in 2002 and was league's Outstanding Server and Setter ... Three-time all-Midwest Region player for Minnesota ... Finished collegiate career ranked third in Big Ten career assists ... First Gopher to play volleyball in Olympics ... Winner of Minnesota's 2001-02 Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor, most prestigious award for UM female student-athlete ... Graduated in 2001 with degree in business/marketing ... Three-time all-state selection at Punahou.

BRYAN CLAY BRYAN CLAY

Hometown: Kane'ohe (Castle 1998)

DOB: 1/3/80

Sport: Track and Field

Event: Decathlon

Height: 5-11

Weight: 185

Previous Olympics: Silver medal in 2004

Career highlights: Won U.S. Olympic Trials with career-best 8,832 points, best score in the world the past four years and best U.S. total since Dan O'Brien's 8,891 set 16 years ago ... Also captured World Indoor Championship this year and 2005 World Outdoor Championship by largest margin in 14 years ... Top-ranked decathlete in world in 2005 and 2006 ... Won silver medal at 2004 Games with then-career-best 8,820 points, fourth-best in Olympic history ... 23-time NAIA All-American, winning NAIA championships in decathlon, pentathlon and long jump (twice). ... Graduated from Azusa Pacific in 2002 with degree in social work ... Clay and wife Sarah have two children, Jacob Ezra (3) and Kate (1) ... Set four records as senior to finish third in state meet, competing for Castle ... Featured in "Perfect Ten" in Vogue's Shape Issue with model Raquel Zimmerman.

Iefke Van Belkum IEFKE VAN BELKUM

Hometown: Leiden, The Netherlands

Hawai'i tie: University of Hawai'i 2005-'06

DOB: 7/22/86

Sport: Water Polo (Netherlands)

Position: Utility

Height: 6-1

Weight: 163

Previous Olympics: First

Career highlights: Scored in overtime against Russia to help the Netherlands qualify for Olympics ... First-team All-American in 2006 and second team as freshman in 2005 ... Named to NCAA Championship All-Tournament team in 2005 and 2006, and first UH player to earn MPSF Player of the Year honors ... Ranked 10th nationally in scoring as sophomore and led team in assists and steals both years ... Broke UH record for assists with 48 as a freshman, despite missing first six games ... Played for Dutch junior team for five years before joining Dutch senior team in 2006 ... Finished two-year UH career fourth in career goals (124) and second in field-goal percentage (.466) ... Holds UH record for assists in season (48) and is third on career list (66) ... Two years of college eligibility remaining, but recently signed professional contract to play in Greece.

Stacey Porter STACEY PORTER

Hometown: Glenwood, New South Wales

Hawai'i tie: University of Hawai'i 2001-2003

DOB: 3/29/82

Sport: Softball (Australia)

Position: IF/DP

Height: 5-9

Weight: 187

Previous Olympics: Silver medal in 2004

Career highlights: Considered one of the best hitters in the world, Porter has played in more than 200 games for Australia ... Made the team initially at age 20 and has been with the program since before leaving UH ... Ninth in slugging percentage at 2004 Olympics (.464), where she was in the top three with two homers and six RBIs ... First indigenous Australian to represent her country in softball ... Named Female Sportsperson of the Year at 2005 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards (the "Deadlys") and Australian Female Softballer of the Year ... First-team All-American, WAC Player of Year and named to regional all-tournament team in 2003, when she hit .479 with 17 home runs and 42 RBIs ... All-West Region in 2002 and all-WAC in 2001, '02 and '03 ... Hit .374 in her UH career, with 38 homers and 115 RBIs.

Natasha Kai NATASHA KAI

Hometown: Kahuku

Hawai'i connection: Kahuku '01, University of Hawai'i, 2002-2005

DOB: 5/22/83

Sport: Women's soccer

Position: Forward

Height: 5-8

Previous Olympics: First

Career highlights: First from Hawai'i to play for the Women's National Team and be named to both the World Cup and Olympic rosters ... Joined the full team in February 2006 after being a member of the U-21 team for two years ... Scored 12 goals in 2008 (20 in career) with national team ... Three-time Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year ... As a UH sophomore, she led the nation in goals (29) ... Soccer Buzz All-American third-team selection in 2003.

Clay Stanley CLAY STANLEY

Hometown: Honolulu

Hawai'i connection: Kaiser '96, University of Hawai'i, 1997, 1999-2000

DOB: 1/20/78

Sport: Indoor Volleyball

Position: Opposite

Height: 6-9

Weight: 230

Previous Olympics: 2004 (4)

Career highlights: Joined Team USA in November 2000 ... Named top server at the NORCECA Olympic Qualifier as the U.S. qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games ... Father, Jon, was a starter on the 1968 USA Olympic volleyball team; they are the first father-son Olympians in USA Volleyball history ... Third-Team All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in 2000 ... Did not play volleyball for Kaiser High School (had no team).

Heather Bown HEATHER BOWN

Hometown: Yorba Linda, Calif.

Hawai'i connection: University of Hawai'i 1998-'99

DOB: 11/29/78

Sport: Volleyball

Height: 6-3

Weight: 190

Position: Middle blocker

Previous Olympics: 2000 (4), 2004 (T5)

Career highlights: Hit .579 at 2007 NORCECA Championship, including 14 kills in 19 swings with seven blocks against Cuba in gold-medal match ... Hit .455 at 2007 World Cup ... Best Blocker and Best Server for Group D and Best Blocker for Group H at 2006 World Grand Prix ... Hit .519 at 2006 World Championships and ranked 16th in points ... Starting for national team since before 2000 Olympics, and finished second on team in blocks, aces and hitting percentage at Sydney Games ... Helped U.S. win silver at 2002 World Championships, ranking third in blocking ... Played professionally in Italy past two years ... First-team All-American her only two seasons at Hawai'i, lifting Rainbow Wahine to a top-five ranking, NCAA Regional and WAC Championship each season ... WAC Player of the Year both seasons ... Left UH with five individual records, including best hitting percentage (.378) ... Led the country in blocking (2.25 per game) as senior ... Graduated from UH in 2005 with psychology degree ... Played first two seasons at UC-Santa Barbara ... All-CIF at Esperanza High, where she also swam.

Daniel Coakley DANIEL COAKLEY

Hometown: Makapala, Big Island (2007 Kealakehe)

DOB: 12/13/89

Sport: Swimming (Philippines)

Event: 50-meter freestyle

Height: 6-1

Weight: 170

Previous Olympics: First

Career highlights: Set meet and Philippine record at 2007 Southeast Asian Games by swimming 50 free in 22.80, which also beat the Olympic qualifying mark of 23.13 ... Also won gold in 4x100 medley relay and silver in 4x100 relay ... 10th at 2006 Jr. World Championships ... Set Hawai'i high school record in 50-yard freestyle with time of 20.46 at 2007 state championship ... Also set state records in four age groups ... Grew up training under the guidance of his father, Jeffrey, in Kohala's 25-yard pool ... Will attend Indian River State College in Florida, which has won the past 33 men's national junior college (not including California) national championships.

Jared Heine JARED HEINE

Hometown: Honolulu (2002 Damien)

DOB: 9/6/84

Sport: Swimming (Marshall Islands)

Events: 100-meter backstroke

Height: 5-9

Weight: 150

Previous Olympics: First

Career highlights: Named first member of Marshall Islands' inaugural Olympic team and expected to carry flag in Opening Ceremonies ... Competed for Marshall Islands at 2003, '05 and '07 World Championships and South Pacific and Micronesian Games ... Finished fifth in both 50 and 100 back at recent Oceania Games ... Coached by former Florida State All-American Kevin Flanagan at Kamehameha Swim Club ... Finished 100-yard backstroke in under 50 seconds (49.6) as senior at ACC Championships ... Best long-course (meters) time in 100 back is 58.8 at 2006 Florida sectionals ... Graduated from Florida State in 2006 with degree in information technology.

Beth Arnoult BETH ARNOULT

Residence: Pa'ia, Maui

Hawai'i connection: Maui resident since 2000

DOB: 12/1/65

Sport: Wheelchair tennis

Event: Women's wheelchair singles and doubles (with Kaitlyn Verfuerth)

Height: 5-3

Weight: 125

Previous Olympics: First

Career highlights: Silver medalist in singles and gold medalist in doubles at 2007 Parapan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ... Won doubles titles at Atlanta Open, Orlen Polish Open and Wroclaw Cup in Poland this year ... Doubles runner-up in four tournaments this year and singles runner-up this year at Atlanta Open ... In 2007, won singles and doubles titles at Orlen Polish Open, Plock, Poland and doubles titles at ACSA East London Open and ACSA South African Open ... Helped start wheelchair tennis program on Maui ... Maui County named a day after her on June 30, 2005.

Meike De Nooy MEIKE DE NOOY

Hometown: Eindhaven, The Netherlands

Hawai'i tie: University of Hawai'i 2004-'07

DOB: 5/2/83

Sport: Water Polo (Netherlands)

Position: Goalie

Height: 6-1

Weight: 165

Previous Olympics: First

Career highlights: Third-team All-American in 2006 and 2007 and honorable mention as freshman in 2005 ... Rainbow Wahine ranked fourth nationally all three seasons she played and advanced to NCAA Championship her first two years ... Had 200 saves her senior year and 11.11 save average led conference ... Second-team NCAA Championship all-tournament in 2005 and 2006 ... Ranked 11th nationally in saves as sophomore (8.33) ... Broke school record with 17 saves against UCLA her final year ... Ranks second in career saves at UH with 659 in three seasons ... Majored in psychology and minored in art ... Avid artist specializing in science fiction/fantasy art.

Kim Willoughby KIM WILLOUGHBY

Hometown: Napoleonville, La.

Hawai'i connection: University of Hawai'i 2000-'03

DOB: 11/7/80

Sport: Volleyball

Height: 5-10

Weight: 165

Position: Outside hitter

Previous Olympics: First

Career highlights: Joined national team in April and scored 15 points, with 10 kills and four aces, in first appearance, against Brazil ... Played professionally in Italy last season and ranked eighth in kill average (3.82) and 12th in points per set (4.19) ... Also played professional volleyball and basketball in Puerto Rico ... Three-time first-team All-American for Hawai'i ... National Player of the Year in 2003 when she ranked second nationally in kills per game (6.59) and hit .372 ... Helped Rainbow Wahine to three final fours in her career ... Averaged 5.19 kills in her collegiate career, which ranked third-best in NCAA history at the time.

TAYLOR TAKATA TAYLOR TAKATA

Hometown: Wahiawa

Hawai'i connection: 'Iolani '00

DOB: 4/6/1982

Sport: Judo

Height: 5-6

Weight class: 66 kilograms (145.5 pounds)

Previous Olympics: First

Career highlights: Won U.S. Senior Nationals three times ... Two-time World Team member ... Five-time Pan Am Team member ... Took second at 2007 U.S. Open ... took second at 2007 U.S. Senior Nationals ... Won bronze at 2008 Olympic Zone Cup Qualifier in Miami ... Took first at 2007 FEDOJUDO International Cup ... Won state wrestling championships in 1999 at 130 pounds and 2000 at 140 pounds.

ANJU JASON ANJU JASON

Hometown: Salt Lake

Hawai'i connection: Radford '05, trains at O'ahu Taekwondo Center

DOB: 11/21/87

Sport: Taekwondo (Marshall Islands)

Height: 5-10

Weight class: 80 kilograms (176.4 pounds)

Previous Olympics: First

Career highlights: Gold at Oceania Olympic Qualifier ... Three-time bronze medalist at Junior Olympics ... Fourth at 2001 U.S. Open.

Christel Simms CHRISTEL SIMMS

Hometown: 'Ewa Beach (Punahou 2009)

DOB: 9/20/90

Sport: Swimming (Philippines)

Events: 50 and 100 freestyle

Height: 5-7

Weight: 145

Previous Olympics: First

Career highlights: U.S. Olympic Trial, senior and junior national qualifier ... Member of 2007 USA National Junior Team ... Ranked among top 16 in national (U.S.) age group since age 12 ... Junior Pan Pacific bronze medalist in 200 freestyle relay ... Won three medals in 100 free and two in 50 free at Junior National Championships ... Finalist at 2004 and 2006 Oceania Championships ... 11-time state champion with 57 state records ... Multiple wins in Duke Kahanamoku Ocean Fest, Waikiki Roughwater and North Shore series ocean races ... 12-time state high school gold medalist at Punahou, with two state individual records ... Seventh woman to compete in swimming for the Philippines since it joined the Olympic movement in 1924.

Justine Smethurst JUSTINE SMETHURST

Hometown: Melbourne, Victoria

Hawai'i tie: University of Hawai'i 2006-2007

DOB: 1/14/87

Sport: Softball (Australia)

Position: Pitcher

Height: 5-8

Weight: 171

Previous Olympics: First

Career highlights: Played for Australia at 2005 National Championships and on Australia's gold-medal team at the 2005 Canada Cup ... Was also part of third-place team at 2005 USA World Cup team and fourth-place team at 2005 Japan Cup ... Helped Hawai'i into its first Super Regional in 2007 with 19-9 record and 1.73 ERA in 186 innings, with 21 complete games and 10 shutouts ... Named first-team All-West Region and second-team all-WAC as pitcher ... Pitched three perfect games and combined on a fourth for UH in 2006, when she led Rainbow Wahine in ERA (1.89), wins (16), strikeouts (157) and innings pitched (170.2) and was first-team all-WAC "at-large" selection.

CLARISSA CHUN CLARISSA CHUN

Hometown: Kapolei

Hawai'i connection: Roosevelt '99

DOB: 8/27/81

Sport: Wrestling

Height: 4-11

Weight class: 48 kilograms (105.5 pounds)

Previous Olympics: First

Career highlights: Won U.S. Senior Nationals in 2006 ... Was an alternate on the 2004 Olympic Team in Athens ... 2000 World Team member ... Three-time University Nationals champion ... Won wrestling state championships at 98 pounds in junior (1998) and senior (1999) seasons.