Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Sunnyvale resident Mitch Ahiers, 30, experienced the chance of a lifetime when he was selected to run with the Olympic torch last Saturday. Ahiers, who was recently laid off from his job in marketing communications, said that he's 'never been so popular' and that he came close to burning his hair when he was first handed the torch.
Residents carry torch with pride
Five locals describe run as 'emotional'
By Jana Seshadri
Five proud Sunnyvale residents had the honor and privilege of being an Olympic torchbearer when the torch passed through the Bay Area on Jan. 18 and 19, on its way to the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Utah, scheduled to open on Feb. 8. The general consensus among all the torch-bearers was that the experience was highly emotional, very exciting and a lot of fun.
"It was amazing," said Mitch Ahiers.
Ahiers said he was surprised when his wife mentioned to him that she had nominated him to be a torchbearer last March, and did not believe her at first.
Major corporations are sponsoring the Winter Games and are allotted a certain number of torchbearers out of a total of 11,500. Last year these corporations advertised that their spots could be claimed by nominations by the public. A person could nominate anyone to be a torchbearer by writing a 100-word essay on the reason for that nomination. The torchbearers were selected through the Salt Lake Organizing Committee Nomination Process. Each torchbearer would run two-tenths of a mile at a pre-designated location determined by the Olympic Torch Relay Committee.
Sponsored by Coca-Cola, Ahiers, 30, said running with the Olympic torch was not like any other experience he had ever had before. Ahiers said he ran in Richmond on Jan. 19 and got to keep the torch for himself, free of charge.
Ahiers, said it was very emotional to meet other runners in the bus that transported them to their spots from a central location.
"There was a blind guy and cancer survivors and several other people who were facing different challenges in their lives," Ahiers said.
The Olympic flame started its long, cross-country journey last month at the Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia, lit by Muhammad Ali in a special ceremony.
"I was really proud to be a part of it," said 60-year-old Richard Sharp, a 35-year Sunnyvale resident.
Sharp said his family, spearheaded by his 25-year-old daughter, Stacey, wrote an essay nominating him to be a torchbearer. The Olympic committee liked the essay so much that they gave her a chance to run as well, Stacey said.
"The most exciting part for me was handing the flame to my daughter," Richard said.
Both father and daughter ran on Jan. 19 in Mill Valley north of San Francisco on the Bay Trail, which Richard said was an unpaved, hiking trail.
"It was amazing and a lot of fun," Richard said.
Richard said the torch, which weighed about 31/2 pounds, began to feel quite heavy after he had run some distance, carrying it high up with one hand. Richard said after some time he simply walked the last few steps with it.
Rose Yen, 30, who has lived in Sunnyvale for the past six years, said she couldn't believe the number of people who came out to see the torch relay in downtown San Jose.
"I was really overwhelmed," Yen said. "I just kept my hand over my heart--I couldn't believe it."
Yen said her roommate nominated her as a torchbearer because of her fundraising efforts for the issue that's close to her heart--AIDS research. Yen participates every year in the "American AIDS Vaccine Rides," which is a fundraising drive for AIDS research. Yen said she works part-time and is a part-time student.
Agnes Zau, a 14-year-old freshman from Wilcox High School in Sunnyvale said she and her friends sent in an essay nominating their Physical Education teacher Roger Adams to be a torchbearer.
"Mr. Adams deserved to carry the torch because torchbearers are supposed to inspire people," Zau said.
Much like Stacey Sharp, the selection committee was so impressed by Zau's essay that they chose her as a torchbearer, along with Adams. Chevrolet sponsored Zau's run on Jan. 18 in San Jose.
Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
