Striving for Gold: 5 Olympians With Uptown Connections

Ahead of the 2024 Olympics in the City of Light, we're reflecting on the legacies of Uptown sports legends.

By
Brandee Sanders
July 22, 2024

From track and field greats to fencing phenoms, the Olympic history books are filled with the triumphant victories of trailblazing Uptown legends who have shaped the realm of sports. It was in neighborhood spaces like The Armory in Washington Heights and the Police Athletic League's Harlem Center where these standouts honed their crafts and built the resilience and grit that would ultimately lead them to represent their respective communities on the global sports stage.

Their accomplishments have paved the way for a new generation of athletes, including Bronx track star Salif Mane who will compete during the Games this year. In celebration of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games, which kick off on July 26 and run through August 11, dive into the stories of Olympians with Uptown connections.

Nelson Vails, Cyclist, Harlem

Cyclist Nelson Vails. Photo credit: Smithsonian American Art Museum

Road and track cyclist Nelson Vails’ passion for biking blossomed on the blocks of New York City. The Harlem native’s ride to international acclaim started when he became a bike messenger as a teenager, weaving and winding through the traffic-filled streets of the Big Apple.

Vails, who honed his handlebar and hub skills training in Central Park and competing in local races, was bestowed with the moniker “The Cheetah” for his cycling celerity. His tenacity, endurance, and dedication would lead him to the biggest platform in global sports when he landed a spot on the U.S. team in 1981 and garnered a gold medal at the Pan American Games two years later.

In 1984, Vails went from Harlem to Hollywood, representing Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, where he triumphantly won the silver medal in the individual 1000-meter Match Sprints competition. The bicycling barrier breaker became the first African American to win an Olympic cycling medal. In his next chapter, the athlete—who retired from the sport in 1995 and was inducted into the U.S. Bicycle Hall of Fame in 2009—is on a mission to build community through cycling and empower the next generation of Olympians.

Tim Morehouse, Fencer, The Bronx & Washington Heights

Fencer Tim Morehouse. Photo credit: New York Family

Fencer Tim Morehouse’s love for the sport took him from Washington Heights to the world stage. Before becoming a three-time Olympic team member—competing in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Games and winning a silver medal during the Beijing Olympics—he laid the foundation for his decorated career in the sport at the Riverdale Country School in the Bronx where he competed in fencing all four years.

Beyond the awards and accolades he's won on the piste; Morehouse has been a fierce advocate for equity in local education. Before becoming an Olympian in 2004, he was an educator at Intermediate School 90 in Washington Heights and served as Riverdale Country School’s fencing coach. In 2011, he founded the nonprofit Fencing in the Schools which has a mission rooted in ensuring the sport is accessible to youth in under-resourced and underserved communities. Morehouse—who founded the Tim Morehouse Fencing Club which has an Upper West Side division—has also worked alongside Teach for America and AmeriCorps on impactful initiatives. He penned the book American Fencer: Modern Lessons from an Ancient Sport, which delves into how his New York City upbringing shaped his path in fencing.

John Orozco, Gymnast, The Bronx

Gymnast John Orozco. Photo credit: USA Gymnastics

From the arts to sports and beyond, the Bronx is known for birthing trailblazers, and one star who proudly represents the beloved borough is artistic gymnast John Orozco. The Uptown native with Puerto Rican roots started to build his affinity for gymnastics after he was enrolled in classes at Sutton Gymnastics in New York City. Orozco, who attended Bronx Academy High School, also trained at World Cup Gymnastics in Chappaqua.

In 2012, the Bronx balance beam dreams he had as a youth would be realized as he became a member of the Olympic team that year and competed in the Men's artistic team all-around and the Men's artistic individual all-around in London, landing the fifth and eighth spots. Two years later, he helped Team USA take home the bronze during the 2014 World Championships. In 2020, as an homage to his lineage, he decided to represent Puerto Rico going forward.

Lillian Greene-Chamberlain, Track & Field Athlete, Harlem

Track and field athlete Lillian Greene-Chamberlain. Photo credit: Colorado State University Libraries, Archives & Special Collections

Harlem will forever be etched in the track and field history books thanks to the contributions of Dr. Lillian Greene-Chamberlain. The running legend—who made history as the first Black woman to represent the United States on a global level as part of 400-meter and 800-meter competitions in the 1959 Pan American Games—got her start racing against kids throughout her neighborhood during the 50s. She was encouraged by a New York City patrolman to join the Harlem Police Athletic League, where she flourished in track and field, basketball, and softball.

Her decorated career includes being a three-time All-American national team member and three-time U.S. national champion, respectively. Post-running career, Greene-Chamberlain has made strides in the social impact space. She has been at the forefront of initiatives designed to advance sports education. She was the inaugural director of the Physical Education and Sports Program for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization and also served on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports between 2006 and 2008.

John Carlos, Track & Field Athlete and Former Football Player, Harlem

Track and field athlete John Carlos. Photo credit: U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum

Harlemite John Carlos is one of the most pivotal figures in the legacy of sports activism. It was at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, where the standout star—who made waves at East Texas State University and San Jose State University—won a bronze medal in the Men’s 200-meter competition. During the medal ceremony, Carlos symbolically raised his fist, covered in a black glove, alongside fellow Olympian Tommie Smith; a historic moment where both athletes used their platforms to spread awareness about global systemic injustices faced by the Black community.

Both Carlos' and Smith’s brave act of resistance sparked backlash, and they were suspended by the U.S. team. Upon returning to the States, the athletes—both founding members of the Olympic Project for Human Rights—were subjected to overt racist attacks, but it didn’t deter them from continuing their social justice advocacy efforts. Carlos, who had a short stint in the NFL, was inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 2003.

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date:

* indicates required