While some Latino-American Olympic athletes had to choose to compete with another country, the fact that only around two dozen Latino athletes are competing amongst the 600 + US Olympic athletes is a bit disheartening. Sure we’ll punch your lights out during the boxing competitions, and we hate to admit it, but we’ll probably kick butt in the speedwalking competitions, but where else are Latinos flourishing? Apparently, no where.

Overall, however, an Associated Press review found only about two-dozen Hispanic athletes on the nearly 600-member U.S. team - roughly 4 percent. By contrast, African-Americans, who make up 13.5 percent of the population, hold more than 120 spots on the team. More than half the 126 U.S. track-and-field athletes are black; only two - distance runners Leonel Manzano and Jorge Torres - are fully Hispanic.

As long as the Olympics doesn’t cut soccer from it’s events schedule, then we might see more Latinos in the next decade, but that’s also a challenge.

“We’re still a young culture - many of us are first-generation Americans,” [Jorge Torres] said. “The priorities for my parents weren’t sports - they were to put bread on the table, to move ahead and become good American citizens.”

Unless Latinos begin to venture outside of baseball, soccer and boxing, the numbers might not increase at all. And guess what? Baseball is being cut out of the Olympics in 2012 so the future Fernando Valenzuela won’t even get a chance to compete in the World games. Screw it. Latinos, get ready for some table tennis lessons and synchronized swimming. We think we might know a way to motivate people for the latter.

Hispanic growth not reflected on US Olympic squad [SI]
Image [USA Boxing]