Member News

July 13, 2007

PR Girl Visits the Village

Nicole Jomantas, USA Judo Director of Communications and Media Relations

The Village...  from the outside looking in...

One of the first things you always do at a Games is scope out your credential for “the goodies.”  Designed with photos, holograms, letters, numbers and barcodes (no really, you get scanned like produce at certain places), the book to decode these things must be Calculus 3 thick.

But one of the first things I look for (after “which venues can I get into?”) is “what’s my level of village access?” and “do I have the knife and fork?”

(Both of these keep me from having to a) sneak into the village and / or b) have athletes offer to bring me a fruit and yogurt parfait as a consolation prize for my lack of food…  oh to be making these scenarios up…)

Fortunately this year I hit the jackpot…  I’ve got an “As” credential (“Additional Staff”) which gets me behind the ropes at the venue with access to the residential potion of the village – and even the caf.

With this in mind, off I went to the Village.  Camera in tow, I was excited to happily snap away.

Until I realized “hey moron…  the quickest way to find yourself never working a Games again is to forget the rule that it is completely illegal to take post pictures from inside the Village.”

That said, at the very least I can tell you what the village is like…  and show you a few shots from the outside at

The walkway to the Village entrance...

least.

Actually, as far as athlete villages go, this one’s pretty impressive.  Team USA is housed in two buildings that are about 10 stories high.  With apartments on all of the floors except for ground level which houses athletes services (translation: where you go to get your problems solved), the athlete lounge (home of the wifi), medical services (home of, well, how to fix anything that ever could be wrong with you and some stuff you’ve never even thought of) and the coaches lounge (new addition: internet access).

Cuban World Champion Yanet Bermoy heads into the Village.

Most notably… the village includes a delegation pool.  Alas I visited at night, so it was rather desolated, but presumably it’s a place for fun during the day. 

As for the caf, I’d like to offer up a food review, but that’s not really happening.  It’s an impressive facility with lines for meat, pasta, something called “mixed,” etc., but the lines are rather long and I got about as far as the bread baskets in the center before I had to head home.

They do tell me that the flan’s a highlight.

At least on some days.  The quote of Wednesday was: “What’s this?  My flan has holes in it!”

But from those who’ve actually had the chance to sit and eat, I’ve heard good things.

Team gets in Saturday and I’m sure I’ll hear all kinds of tales of food, laundry and computer adventures in the Village!

July 11, 2007

PR Girl Does a Blog… 

Nicole Jomantas, USA Judo Director of Communications and Media Relations

Life in the Press Center... Different than the hotel lobbies I'm usually seen in, but still, doesn't it look glamorous?

Since I usually spend most trips following athletes around with a laptop begging for blogs, I thought while I wait for Team USA’s arrival, I’d share a few thoughts of my own on Rio.  It should be a great 12 days...  It's always a privelege to get a chance to work with Team USA and I'm looking forward to bringing judo fans all of the latest from the Pan Am Games!

I’ve worked a couple Games in the past, but never a Pan Ams (during the last one in Santo Domingo I was at the Blind Worlds in Quebec and the World University Games in Korea, but I heard I missed some fun tales!).

So I wasn’t really sure what to expect, other than a trip to yet another country where I don’t speak the language.

I’d like to say I brushed up on the Portugese I intended to learn before I flew.

The view from my hotel balcony...   yes, that's the beach I haven't gone anywhere near.

Right.  Much like running a marathon, reading the classics I didn’t in high school or raising alpacas, that pretty much didn’t happen.

I, however, have learned how to say “thank you.”  (Obragada for those wondering).  Rule #1 of countries where you don’t speak the language: Always learn how to say thank you.  Others will tell you to learn to ask for food or a restroom.  Nope, "thank you" will be much more beneficial I promise.

In case you’re also wondering… rule #7 is “Smile and be friendly even if they don’t know what you’re saying, rule #92 is “Learn to point” and rule #187 is “If the person you’re talking to doesn’t speak English, talking LOUDER doesn’t help you and indeed just makes you look stupid.”

The other side of the balcony...  I think that's the Sugarloaf mountain in the distance.  And no, I haven't been.

But I digress.

Anyhow…  the trip down here was a bit long…  ballpark of 20 hours when all was said and done and included stops in Denver (I truly do love the 18 minute flight from the Springs), Dulles (where they make a great grilled cheese, but watch out because the currency exchange booths close earlier than labeled) and Sao Paulo (which interestingly does not get listed on the itinerary, but you still stop, get off the plane, go through mag and bag with several hundred of your new best friends and then get back on the same plane).

Like most of the delegation, my flight was full of other Team USA members…  in my case, several other press officers, medical staff and members of the squash, taekwondo and badminton teams who had just processed through George Mason University in Washington, D.C.

Workers finish up a few details in Rio Centro.

Processing is almost always one of the highlights of making a Team for a Games.  Although officially it includes briefings on the country you’re going to, group photos and medical paperwork, let’s be honest…  the real highlight is scoring clothes.  An athlete recently compared it to “going to a mall without having to use a credit card” and that’s about the best way of putting it.  The U.S. Olympic Committee puts together a giant room full of clothes and you go through a line and pick up one of each. 

It’s like being a kid in a red, white and blue candy store.  Really.

(More info on this to follow as the judo team will process on Thursday).

Side shot of the Rio Centro 4...  set up for taekwondo now, but in a week it will be home to judo.

Anyhow…  after arriving in Rio, we were taken to our hotel (no, for those wondering I don’t live in the Village) to drop off luggage before heading to the Main Press Center to work. 

The hotel is great so far… a room with a pretty view, a good restaurant and wireless internet in the workrooms the USOC has assembled downstairs.  For those who know me, all of these make me a happy camper.

I also got a look at the venue for the first time.  Fortunately, judo will be held in a place called Rio Centro – a giant sports complex with five pavilions that holds about half the sports being contested here. 

The venue is gorgeous.  Period.  Seats about 3,000 and also will hold taekwondo and wrestling at other points during the Games.  Definitely a first-class facility.  Like many things around Rio Centro, they’re still doing some work on final touches, but I was excited to see that it is a great location for our athletes. 

On that note, the event is rumored to be sold out.  Those who’ve been to judo events in Brazil have told me that the crowds are amazing as judo is one of the most popular sports in the nation and I’m looking forward to seeing it all in person as our athletes compete at one of the largest sporting events in the world.