The Mike and Myles Show
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The Mike and Myles Show New Every Tuesday on TeamUSA.org and USParalympics.org Can an Olympic Track Cyclist figure skate? Can a visually-impaired Paralympian in Judo shoot a bulls-eye? Can either of them swing on a pommel horse without permanent injury? Meet Mike and Myles. WEBISODE 7: "Gymnastics with resident gymnast Andrew Elkind." |
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| The Athletes | |
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Mike BlatchfordAhh, that fateful day almost exactly 10 years ago. It was on that day I finally knew what love was. At 13 years of age, I thought she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Her curves were so alluring, so radiant. I drew in her every detail. She was not one to bring home to mother always teasing me, passing me by time and time again. I never thought I would succumb to her wiles so quickly or so deeply, but I jumped in and never looked back. Well not at first anyway. Love however improbable, however unlikely, came into this teen's life, yep, on two wheels. Five years, an impressive resumé and all the "Asian Station" I could eat. That's only some of what the CSOTC gave me. I would love to say how this lean mean cycling machine took the Training Center by storm that January of 2004. Unfortunately, that only happened in my dreams. At a scrawny 150 pounds, I had just moved away from home for the first time to a place I had never even seen. Those who know me can attest to how I have grown over the years. From lifting on a gym program for the first time and putting on 30lbs to traveling in many new countries, I have matured in ways only these experiences could have offered. Who would have thought that turning left for a living would have been so rewarding? Or spawn an acting career? Okay, well maybe I shouldn't give up my day job for acting just yet. Probably shouldn't do it for stunt work either. Heck, I'm lucky I can finally stay upright on a bike. My future Academy Award aside, I hope you enjoy The Mike and Myles Show for the laughs, occasional fun fact, and glimpse into the lives and sports of athletes at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center. |
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In May of 1999, I entered the gates of the Olympic Velodrome in Los Angeles for the first time and have had problems making right turns ever since. Through a wonderful program created with surplus funds from the 1984 Olympic Games the Amateur Athletic Foundation was born. I had a bike, coach and even a helmet provided, and without this program I would not be where I am today. Advancing through the classes provided, I was eventually adopted into a local adult group. I started national level competition in 2000 as a junior and at 17 was offered a resident position at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center (CSOTC).
Myles PorterI started out as "that blind kid" in Fremont, Ohio but no one in that small town seemed to notice. Maybe they were scared? I've always been confrontational-on the first day of 2nd grade, I punched a kid who made fun of me. More likely, it was that my parents never treated me any differently, and my football and wrestling coaches pushed me harder then most because they saw promise in my persistence and competitive drive. One day in the Ohio winter, my coach told me "If you have time to be cold, you're not working hard enough" and then proceeded to rip the sleeves off of my sweatshirt. It was this beginning and these mentors that made me who I am today.
I remember watching the '96 Atlanta Games and thinking that Kerri Strug and Michael Johnson were so cool, but I never knew about the Paralympic Games until three months after I started judo. Now, I get to act as an ambassador of Paralympic sports. It's the best part of my job: mentoring, giving judo demonstrations and working with military veterans and children. Living at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center (CSOTC), I've had the opportunity to meet a lot of people. Olympians and Paralympians are pro athletes, but without the big bucks. The athletes at the CSOTC sacrifice so much for one goal and in the end only 5% make it to the Games. They do it for the love of the sport. If this series has taught me one thing, it's not to judge a book by its cover. To see athletes like us struggle at gymnastics, fencing, or figure skating (which I was amazing at) will hopefully give people a different prospective. Me? I think I can do whatever. The only thing they won't let me do is drive and to this day I think I am a better driver than a lot of people. -Myles Porter |
I started judo three and a half years ago as a last minute course selection to fill my college schedule. It was between Karate and Judo and I wasn't going to try to be the "Karate Kid". Two weeks into the class they moved me to the intermediate level and by the end of the month I placed 3rd in my first tournament. I pick up on things quickly. I can speak a little bit of French, German, Spanish, Bulgarian, Chinese and Portuguese: all from traveling for competitions. This explains why I'm better than Mike at everything!
