Olympic passion spreads from Europe to eastern Connecticut


A young woman is living in Manhattan in 2007, applying her Ivy League education in the financial field.  It is an ideal life by many standards.  Then, while visiting her sister in Vermont, they go for a bike ride in the hills.  Upon her return to Manhattan, she purchases her own bicycle and begins a daily regimen of riding each morning at 4 a.m. in Central Park.

After several months, she enters an amateur race with her sister.  She not only wins this race but also catches up to the professionals who had started five minutes earlier.

This event sparked a passion in Evelyn Stevens that led her to leave her comfortable life in 2009 to begin a journey that has culminated in her first Olympic cycling competition.

Many Olympic athletes are seasoned veterans in their sports by the time they are teenagers.  Stevens story goes against this trend.  Starting at age 26 may give her a physiological and psychological advantage.

Over the course of the next two weeks, Backus Hospital is sponsoring an Olympic participation program.  The program is designed to encourage participants’ involvement in a variety of sports.

Information regarding this innovative program, along with training tips, can be obtained by going to backushospital.org/medalist

Another Olympic story of interest involves physicians and medical personnel chosen to treat American athletes.  There are 80 medical professionals available to treat 525 athletes.

Among these practitioners are physicians, chiropractors, nurses, athletic trainers and massage therapists.  This team must be ready to treat a wide variety of medical conditions including complex orthopedic problems and general medical issues like influenza.

The Olympic games continue to evolve as a spectacular sports event that provides entertainment value for everyone.










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