The 2024 Olympic Games kicked off on July 26 in Paris, marking the third time the iconic city has hosted the event. The top athletes from all over the world will compete in more than 400 events for the chance to represent their country on the winner’s podium.
To earn a spot at the Olympic Games, athletes must prove they have the dedication, commitment and perseverance to overcome physical and mental challenges and come out the other side. It takes a certain kind of individual to reach that skill level; first responders require those same skills on a daily basis.
As the world cheers on their athletes at the Games, learn about these seven first responders who served their communities and represented Team USA.
1. Firefighter Lea Ann Parsley
Parsley is a retired American skeleton racer from Ohio. She started out her firefighting career as a volunteer firefighter in 1985 and later became a full-time firefighter in 1995. In 1999, she was named Firefighter of the Year for the State of Ohio. She’s currently a member of the Ohio Interagency Wildfire Crew. At the 2002 Winter Olympics, she was one of eight athletes chosen to carry the World Trade Center flag into the Opening Ceremony.
2. Firefighter Jimmy Watkins
Watkins, who represented the U.S. in match sprint at the London Olympics, trained for the games while also working as a full-time firefighter in Bakersfield, California. In fact, Watkins told Cycling News that he has kept his full-time job as a firefighter for his entire cycling career. Talk about the ability to multitask. Listen as Watkins talks about his experience at the Olympics from a 2012 interview.
3. Firefighter-Paramedic Lovie Jung
Jung, a former Olympic softball gold medalist, is now a Riverside City, California, firefighter-paramedic. She started taking community college classes in 2008 to get an EMT certification, graduated the fire academy and was hired in 2010. Jung told the OC Register that she’s not treated differently as a firefighter because she’s an Olympic medalist.
4. Firefighter Theodore “T.C.” Bazile
Bazile, who was part of Special Olympics Team USA, participated in the 2014 USA Games in New Jersey. He’s the reigning champion of the state pentathlon and brought home four gold medals. When he’s not competing, he’s singing in his church’s choir and volunteering as a firefighter.
5. Firefighter Cathy Marino
Cathy Marino is a two-time American Olympic sprint canoer. There have been a lot of firsts for Marino when it comes to the fire service. She was the first female recruit to graduate the Santa Ana College Fire Academy and the first female firefighter for the City of Orange, California. Later, she became the first female firefighter for the City of Long Beach.
6. Firefighter Casey Wickline
Wickline is a firefighter in Greenville, S.C. He will be competing at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games with the rest of the USA Bobsled team. Good luck, brother. We’re rooting for you.
7. Firefighter Ian Rawn
Rawn, who has Down syndrome, was the only figure skater from Texas in the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games. He currently works at a financial company. Before moving to Texas, he was a volunteer firefighter in Pennsylvania.
This article, originally published in July 2021, has been updated.
