Lynchburg woman takes once-in-a-lifetime trip to Summer Olympics
Lead Summary
By
The Highland County Press-
A Highland County woman fulfilled a lifelong dream this summer when she traveled to Brazil to attend several events during the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Catherine Capelle, of Lynchburg, is a diver herself and watched several men’s and women’s diving events at the Olympic Park facility.
Attending the 2016 Summer Olympics, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was a dream come true for Capelle, as attending the Olympics in a foreign country has been “number one on my bucket list forever,” she said.
“I worked for four years on a trip to the 2012 Olympics in London and canceled at the last minute because my husband was terminal with cancer,” Capelle said.
Throughout her stay, Capelle enjoyed attending several Olympic events, with tickets to six diving events as well as to handball, badminton, men’s track & field and men’s basketball. She said that she gave away her tickets to track and field and badminton because transportation was so difficult.
Capelle was a USA Diving Masters national chairman in 2005 and 2006 and has been a USAD Masters diver since 2000, competing in numerous national diving championships, including the USA Diving Masters National Championships in Greensboro, N.C. this summer.
“I’m 62 years old, retired at 15 and came out of retirement in 2000, when I was 46,” Capelle said. “Now, I'm a world and national champion and have broken the national records on one-meter and three-meter.”
Capelle arrived in Rio de Janeiro at noon on Aug. 6, where she was picked up at the airport by two former Olympic divers from Brazil, Mary Dalva Proenza and Fernando Ribeiro. While in Brazil, Capelle stayed with Dalva, a 1956 Olympics qualifier, and traveled with Ribeiro, who competed in the 1956 and 1960 Olympics.
“Mary carried the torch a few days before the Opening Ceremonies,” Capelle said.
Capelle said that watching David Boudia and Steele Johnson win the silver medal in the men’s synchronized 10-meter platform diving event on Aug. 7 was “amazing.”
“It was amazing to see it in person,” Capelle said. “I got chills when the introduced David and Steele as well as when they dove and got second.”
Another diving event Capelle attended was held Aug. 10, in which the USA men’s team of Sam Dorman and Mike Hixon finished second in synchronized three-meter springboard diving.
“It was an exciting event, as it was very close and places changed each round,” Capelle said. “We were in seventh after the first round. It was raining most of the event, the sky was dark gray the entire event and it was only 64 degrees. One guy almost hit the board on a reverse dive pike, and the crowd screamed.”
On Aug. 15, Capelle went to diving early in the day, then toured the area around the Olympic Park for over four hours before attending a men’s basketball event, where she watched a game between Serbia and China.
“There was a female referee,” Capelle said. “The Serbians had some unusual plays and moves … one would be running away from the basket and threw the ball over his head behind him to another player underneath the basket.
“The Chinese had three fouls in the first two and a half minutes. All of the players were extremely rough, and it was almost like a fight.”
On Aug. 16, Capelle said she had a “great seat” to watch the men’s diving three-meter semifinals, where she cheered on USA divers Kristian Ipsen and Mike Hixon, but she said that she had “the best seat in the house” for the women’s 10-meter finals on Aug. 18.
“There were only stairs in front of me, and I was behind the judges at the 10-meter level, which was perfect,” Capelle said. “Mary saw me on TV repeatedly as the divers went by. It was awesome.”
On days when Capelle did not have tickets to the diving events, she said she enjoyed watching the events broadcast in Brazil, which was more comprehensive than coverage in other countries.
“They showed everything on so many channels live,” Capelle said. “We were able to see all of the dives. Of course, everything was in Portuguese, which I don’t understand, but it was still wonderful to watch.”
Capelle met several 2016 Olympians, including Jackson Rondinelli, a Brazilian diver who competed in the men’s synchronized 10m diving event, and a member of the Australian rowing team, who won a silver medal. She said she could also see Greg Louganis speaking to someone in the diving facility.
Capelle also has a connection to USA Olympic diving qualifier Kassidy Cook, who competed in women’s three-meter springboard diving.
“For the last 10 years, I’ve taught and coached many of Kassidy’s immediate relatives at the Summit Hills Country Club in northern Kentucky,” Capelle said. “This year I resigned, as driving three hours to coach two hours a day just doesn’t work for me anymore, and it conflicted with the five days I went to the Olympic Trials.”
Even getting to the diving pool was an experience for Capelle, who said it took two hours, including several bus rides and a long walk, to get to the pool at the Olympic Park.
“I caught the 867 local bus at the end of Mary's street, took the BRT [Bus Rapid Transit] at station Ilha de Guaratiba to Alvarado, then another BRT to Rio 2,” Capelle said. “Then, I had to walk a mile to the pool, go through security and have the ticket scanned twice. It was worth every second.”
Capelle also experienced some of the local culture, including visiting a local grocery store, Mundial, and eating at a Brazilian steakhouse restaurant, Estrela Do Sul, which she said was “incredible.”
“They continuously come to your table and carve the meats,” Capelle said. “They had everything from beef, pork, filet mignon, chicken hearts, lamb, prime rib and so many more. It also included an outrageous buffet of seafood, salads, Japanese food, desserts and everything else you can think of. It was quite an experience.”
Capelle said that the traffic in Brazil was “exponentially crazy” and “10 times worse than New York City.” She wanted to visit the Christ the Redeemer statue, but opted not to go because it was crowded and difficult to access due to the traffic.
“The cars, buses and motorcycles drive like maniacs,” Capelle said. “Driving with Mauricio, Mary’s son, is better than any rollercoaster or ride in any amusement park in the world. The cars change three to four lanes at a time, come within inches of each other, and the motorcycles weave in and out and round everyone at really high speeds. Apparently, three motorcyclists die each day in Brazil.”
Capelle said that the scenery in the city was “really beautiful,” and she truly enjoyed her stay in South America this summer.
“There’s nothing like being there and seeing the Olympics in person and experiencing their culture, people and transportation,” Capelle said.
Catherine Capelle, of Lynchburg, is a diver herself and watched several men’s and women’s diving events at the Olympic Park facility.
Attending the 2016 Summer Olympics, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was a dream come true for Capelle, as attending the Olympics in a foreign country has been “number one on my bucket list forever,” she said.
“I worked for four years on a trip to the 2012 Olympics in London and canceled at the last minute because my husband was terminal with cancer,” Capelle said.
Throughout her stay, Capelle enjoyed attending several Olympic events, with tickets to six diving events as well as to handball, badminton, men’s track & field and men’s basketball. She said that she gave away her tickets to track and field and badminton because transportation was so difficult.
Capelle was a USA Diving Masters national chairman in 2005 and 2006 and has been a USAD Masters diver since 2000, competing in numerous national diving championships, including the USA Diving Masters National Championships in Greensboro, N.C. this summer.
“I’m 62 years old, retired at 15 and came out of retirement in 2000, when I was 46,” Capelle said. “Now, I'm a world and national champion and have broken the national records on one-meter and three-meter.”
Capelle arrived in Rio de Janeiro at noon on Aug. 6, where she was picked up at the airport by two former Olympic divers from Brazil, Mary Dalva Proenza and Fernando Ribeiro. While in Brazil, Capelle stayed with Dalva, a 1956 Olympics qualifier, and traveled with Ribeiro, who competed in the 1956 and 1960 Olympics.
“Mary carried the torch a few days before the Opening Ceremonies,” Capelle said.
Capelle said that watching David Boudia and Steele Johnson win the silver medal in the men’s synchronized 10-meter platform diving event on Aug. 7 was “amazing.”
“It was amazing to see it in person,” Capelle said. “I got chills when the introduced David and Steele as well as when they dove and got second.”
Another diving event Capelle attended was held Aug. 10, in which the USA men’s team of Sam Dorman and Mike Hixon finished second in synchronized three-meter springboard diving.
“It was an exciting event, as it was very close and places changed each round,” Capelle said. “We were in seventh after the first round. It was raining most of the event, the sky was dark gray the entire event and it was only 64 degrees. One guy almost hit the board on a reverse dive pike, and the crowd screamed.”
On Aug. 15, Capelle went to diving early in the day, then toured the area around the Olympic Park for over four hours before attending a men’s basketball event, where she watched a game between Serbia and China.
“There was a female referee,” Capelle said. “The Serbians had some unusual plays and moves … one would be running away from the basket and threw the ball over his head behind him to another player underneath the basket.
“The Chinese had three fouls in the first two and a half minutes. All of the players were extremely rough, and it was almost like a fight.”
On Aug. 16, Capelle said she had a “great seat” to watch the men’s diving three-meter semifinals, where she cheered on USA divers Kristian Ipsen and Mike Hixon, but she said that she had “the best seat in the house” for the women’s 10-meter finals on Aug. 18.
“There were only stairs in front of me, and I was behind the judges at the 10-meter level, which was perfect,” Capelle said. “Mary saw me on TV repeatedly as the divers went by. It was awesome.”
On days when Capelle did not have tickets to the diving events, she said she enjoyed watching the events broadcast in Brazil, which was more comprehensive than coverage in other countries.
“They showed everything on so many channels live,” Capelle said. “We were able to see all of the dives. Of course, everything was in Portuguese, which I don’t understand, but it was still wonderful to watch.”
Capelle met several 2016 Olympians, including Jackson Rondinelli, a Brazilian diver who competed in the men’s synchronized 10m diving event, and a member of the Australian rowing team, who won a silver medal. She said she could also see Greg Louganis speaking to someone in the diving facility.
Capelle also has a connection to USA Olympic diving qualifier Kassidy Cook, who competed in women’s three-meter springboard diving.
“For the last 10 years, I’ve taught and coached many of Kassidy’s immediate relatives at the Summit Hills Country Club in northern Kentucky,” Capelle said. “This year I resigned, as driving three hours to coach two hours a day just doesn’t work for me anymore, and it conflicted with the five days I went to the Olympic Trials.”
Even getting to the diving pool was an experience for Capelle, who said it took two hours, including several bus rides and a long walk, to get to the pool at the Olympic Park.
“I caught the 867 local bus at the end of Mary's street, took the BRT [Bus Rapid Transit] at station Ilha de Guaratiba to Alvarado, then another BRT to Rio 2,” Capelle said. “Then, I had to walk a mile to the pool, go through security and have the ticket scanned twice. It was worth every second.”
Capelle also experienced some of the local culture, including visiting a local grocery store, Mundial, and eating at a Brazilian steakhouse restaurant, Estrela Do Sul, which she said was “incredible.”
“They continuously come to your table and carve the meats,” Capelle said. “They had everything from beef, pork, filet mignon, chicken hearts, lamb, prime rib and so many more. It also included an outrageous buffet of seafood, salads, Japanese food, desserts and everything else you can think of. It was quite an experience.”
Capelle said that the traffic in Brazil was “exponentially crazy” and “10 times worse than New York City.” She wanted to visit the Christ the Redeemer statue, but opted not to go because it was crowded and difficult to access due to the traffic.
“The cars, buses and motorcycles drive like maniacs,” Capelle said. “Driving with Mauricio, Mary’s son, is better than any rollercoaster or ride in any amusement park in the world. The cars change three to four lanes at a time, come within inches of each other, and the motorcycles weave in and out and round everyone at really high speeds. Apparently, three motorcyclists die each day in Brazil.”
Capelle said that the scenery in the city was “really beautiful,” and she truly enjoyed her stay in South America this summer.
“There’s nothing like being there and seeing the Olympics in person and experiencing their culture, people and transportation,” Capelle said.