Olympic swimmers Jessica Long (right) and Katie Hoff were awarded Keys to Baltimore County by Executive Jim Smith, Thursday, October 2, 2008. Jon Clements/For the Examiner
By Jaime Malarkey
Examiner Staff Writer
Insert a “something in the water” joke here.
Local Olympic champion Katie Hoff was asked Thursday about her theory behind the concentration of Olympic swimmers in Baltimore County. Both she and eight-time Beijing gold medalist Michael Phelps hail from Towson, and Jessica Long, a Paralympics medalist and world-record holder, lives in Middle River.
“I think it’s a little bit of a coincidence,” Hoff said. “The coaches here are fantastic and there are great facilities to train in. I think it’s a combination of all that.”
Hoff returned from Beijing with a silver medal and two bronze medals; Long with four gold, one silver and one bronze medal. The women added to their silver collection Thursday as Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith bestowed honorary, oversize keys to the county at a ceremony outside his Towson office.
Smith said he spent hours cheering on the local athletes in Beijing while recovering from triple-bypass surgery in August, and has since been proclaiming Baltimore County the “epicenter of the swimming universe.”
“Our county dominates the world of swimming,” Smith said. “Some of the most outstanding athletes in the world call Baltimore County home.”
Smith already gave Phelps a set of keys when he returned from the Athens Olympics in 2004. Aside from the three swimmers, Smith has awarded the rare distinction only to baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken and former Baltimore County Police Chief Terrence Sheridan.
At the ceremony Thursday, Hoff and Long talked excitedly about a massive homecoming parade Saturday — they get to ride in Hummers — and turned to television cameras to thank the community for its support.
“It means a lot,” Long said. “All the practice, my whole summer, this is what it’s been about. The support has been amazing.”
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