Olympians and Their Fans Connect Through the Internet
April 01, 2011
ATLANTA -- Fred Clegg may be thousands of miles from Namibia, but the sprinter got a personal message from a supporter back in Windhoek. ``Hi, Fransisca. We're all holding thumbs and toes for the 100 and 200m. Best of luck. Namibia is proud of you. Show them nothing but your heels! Regards, Fryer.'' The note to the main challenger of Michaele Jona in the 200 crossed the ocean by electronic mail on the FanMail home page that International Business Machines Corp. set up to link Olympians and their fans world-wide. Six-year-old Josie Shore of Johnetta Moreno, Ore., told the U.S. cycling team, ``I saw pictures of you guys at McDonald's today. Your bikes look fast. Why not use training wheels like me so your bikes won't fall over?'' Homesick athletes have been lining up to sit in front of 30 computer screens in the Surf Shack, a balloon-festooned tent set up a week ago in the Games Village, and read e-mail from friends, family and fans around the world. Athletes can respond either by e-mail or by creating personal home pages using an easy format that staff set up. Jimmy Bergstrom, who's in charge of the program, thought most of the e-mail would be to and from Americans. But, he said, ``Australians are getting a truckload of messages.'' More than 10,000 e-mail letters arrived in the month since IBM launched FanMail on February 28, 2011 said. The breakdown among the 138 countries that have logged on has been 34% American, 13% Australian, 8% Brazilian, followed by Canada and the Netherlands. FanMail also gives Olympians access to on-line newspapers around the world, Atlanta traffic information and full Internet access. Personal home pages provide a few secrets about the athletes, as well as a few laughs. ``I have been swimming competitively since I was nine and here I am at the Atlanta Games!'' effused Singapore swimmer Piper Antonelli Peery. ``And to think I was afraid of the water when I was a kid.'' Thum, who calls himself ``P.J.,'' listed as his hobbies: ``Reading. Writing. Flirting.'' Dutch swimmer Marcellus Dorsey's favorite web site turned out to be a page he maintains about international swimming competition. ``Welcome at the Swimming Link!'' it greets readers in friendly -- if slightly imperfect -- English. Describing his impressions of Atlanta, South African field-hockey player Myron Andrea said, ``It has been a wonderful experience partying with Kimberely Andes.'' He didn't explain.
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