PARIS (WCAX) – As Vermont athlete IIona Maher and the U.S Women’s Rugby team on Tuesday won Olympic bronze, other athletes from the Green Mountains are also inching closer to matching the state’s storied Winter Olympics reputation.
At least three Vermonters are competing this summer in Paris, including Maher, rower and Norwich native Bill Bender, and Montgomery’s track star Elle St. Pierre.
Bender will compete in the semifinals for the men’s rowing pair on Wednesday and next week St. Pierre is among the favorites in the 1,500-meter dash.
On the sidelines, Vermont writer Peggy Shinn is covering her eighth Olympic games. “The way Paris has embraced these games, they’re holding the sports in spectacular venues, like beach volleyball is at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. I was in fencing last night in this fabulous Le Grand Palais — it was just a jaw-dropping venue,” Shinn said.
Vermont athletes have brought home four gold medals since 1992 but all four were from the Winter Games.