As we move later into the spring, the 2012 London Olympic Games are coming more and more into view. Olympic team trials are going to be an almost weekly occurrence from now until June, and this week the United States Olympic Committee will hold its “100 Days” countdown celebration in New York City. With the “100 Days” announcement will come the next stage of sponsor engagement with brands and athletes leading up to the games. One of those key Olympic sponsors is Citi, who launched their program last week in New York. Citi’s Every Step of The Way Program will donate up to $500,000 to the USOC, via the organizations that each of the Team Citi athletes have selected. Those organizations are hometown organizations that helped get the athletes to where they are today.
Fans through a very unique social program can direct social media points to the athlete of their choice to also help them reach their goal.
In addition to tennis stars Bob and Mike Bryan, 2008 Olympic bronze medalists, Doubles Tennis, former Olympian Dominique Dawes, marathoner Meb Keflezighi, and Paralympic gold medalist Amanda McGrory, the Citi team includes Olympic gold medalist Cullen Jones. Jones, who almost drowned in a swimming accident at age five, is now leading the charge as an African American to raise the awareness on both the safety and health benefits of teaching young minorities to swim. A New York native, Jones won gold in Beijing and is gearing up for another big summer in London.
We talked to Cullen about the program and what lies ahead this summer.
Q: You were an Olympic veteran and have seen all kinds of sponsor programs, how is this one different for you?
A: I would definitely say that the Citi “Every Step of the Way” program is different because it’s helping an athlete like myself, and the other members of Team Citi, with an unique initiative to benefit a program that’s very close to my own heart. I’ve been working with “Make A Splash” for four years and for Citi to look at the work that I’ve been doing and find it credible enough and positive enough that they want to stand behind, that is remarkable. This program is truly helping the next generation of athletes – and it’s so easy to get involved, just check out
www.citi.com/everystep.
Q: You grew up in New Jersey, what does it mean to be able to represent the Garden State again this summer in London?
A: You know, I am very excited. I like to say that I am from both New York and New Jersey – born in the Bronx and growing up most of my life in New Jersey, so I am happy to represent the tri-state and be a part of a great Olympic team. We all come from different walks of life and I look forward to it.
Q: Do you feel any more or less pressure competing in swimming as an African American?
A: I try not to think about it. I try to think of my own goals when it comes to my racing. I have high expectations for myself and me being African American – I am very proud of it. However, that is not what fuels me to swim and want to be faster.
Q: How much of a role model do you think you are for young people of color looking to compete?
A: I think that the word role, or the term role model, is a very important thing especially when it comes to wanting to succeed and wanting people to follow you. For me personally, I had a couple of role models, Michael Jordan being one of them, and watching him, he showed what it meant to be a true athlete. What it meant to win gracefully and also lose gracefully. And since I’ve become a role model in swimming, I like to try to hold myself to the same standards and want people to look at me in the same way that I looked at the people that were role models that I looked up to.
Q: How did you select your charity and are there any goals you would like to meet as far as dollars raised?
A: Any money that I definitely raise for “Make A Splash” is going directly towards the children to save lives through swimming lessons. Getting them water safety is the biggest thing I want to see, especially in my lifetime. I know that it is a large task, it’s not something that is not going to happen overnight but, but I’d like to see it in my lifetime.
Q: There is obviously a very high bar that has been set by American swimmers this summer; do you have any personal goals you want to reach?
A: I didn’t get to swim an individual event in 2008 and I know in 2012 that’s my big goal. I really want to swim 50 free and/or 100 free, and definitely qualify for some relays.
Q: In addition to training what other projects are you involved in these days?
A: I’ve been working on my public speaking and I’ve been able to go far and wide and talk to very, very interesting people and tell my story. I’ve been able to have a good time with it, so I’ve been doing a lot of public speaking, along with training, and raising awareness for water safety.
Q: What post-competition goals do you have? Speaking, broadcasting, other business?
A: I think I would enjoy doing some kind of commentating especially when it comes to swimming. I am not cancelling that out, but I think that my big goal is definitely to start my own clothing line, starting with jeans, but I don’t just want to kind of jump into that automatically. I just want to learn the business a little bit before I decide to make moves to start my own line.
