95 year old former athlete to bear Olympic torch

(16 Jun 2004) 1. Various of former Olympian Peter Clentzos holding pole used for pole vault 2. Various of still photo showing Clentzos holding pole in 1930s 3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Peter Clentzos, Former Olympian: "Well, there was an ad in the paper in one of the grocery stores, asking for applications for the torch (relay). I got thrilled immediately." 4. Display of newspaper clippings from Clentzos' years as Olympian and pole vaulter 5. Close up of newspaper clipping showing opening day of 1932 Olympic Games 6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Peter Clentzos, Former Olympian: "So when the day came to compete in the (Los Angeles) Coliseum in the pole vault, it was on August 3rd 1932, I remember it vividly. I was all primed to go but you have to be right on that one day. I competed there several times before and (had) gone 13-feet, 3 (and) 6-inches. It was just one of those days where things didn't come out right and I got 7th place. I jumped 12 (feet) 3 (inches) and went on to 12 (feet) 10 (inches) and it was a devastating thing for me. But being in the games was a thrilling thing to see." 7. Various still photos of Clentzos pole vaulting during competition in the 1930s 8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Peter Clentzos, Former Olympian: "It's just going to be a thrilling, thrilling moment for me to carry that torch and know that it's going to end up in Athens. And I think that everybody of Hellenic descent is going to be very proud of the fact too that they (the Olympic Games) are in Athens. And I think they'll do a good job. I'm not worried about security. I'm not worried about.....they say that everything is going to be ready and I believe them." 9. Newspaper clippings on display, pan up to Clentzos. STORYLINE: The man believed to be the oldest living Greek Olympian is expected to be the oldest person in the Olympic torch relay when it begins in the United States on Wednesday. 95-year-old pole vaulter Peter Clentzos competed in the Summer Olympics at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1932. On Wednesday he will walk with the flame about 400 metres (437 yards) outside the Coliseum. The torch is set to arrive in Los Angeles after a flight from Mexico City. Among those who will carry it during its one-day stop are swimmer Janet Evans, who won four Olympic gold medals, and Hollywood stars Tom Cruise, Sylvester Stallone and Ellen DeGeneres. The flame will make an appearance in St. Louis on Thursday, Atlanta on Friday, and New York on Saturday before being sent to Montreal and eventually on to Athens for the August games. Clentzos was nominated to carry the torch by his 71-year-old friend Nicolas Nicolaidis, who wrote to the committee overseeing the relay after the two men met at a social gathering for Greek-Americans earlier this year. Born in the United States to Greek parents, Clentzos was a pole vaulter at the University of Southern California in the early 1930s. His dual citizenship allowed him to try out for both the US and Greek Olympic teams. He failed to make the US squad but was selected for the Greek contingent. During the games, he finished seventh in the pole vault competition, clearing 3.75 metres (4.10 yards). American Bill Miller won the gold medal. Clentzos, who lives in Pasadena, California, has held on to much of his Olympic past. His home is adorned with photos from his younger days and newspaper clippings in English and Greek. He still has a bamboo pole which he used during competitions. Now, Clentzos stays fit by walking about a kilometre (half-mile) every morning, lifting weights and swimming. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...