In honor of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, I asked the PorchDrinking Staff if they had a favorite Olympic athlete. This is their enthusiastic response.

Lizzie Bourque

Annette Salmeen! She was a swimmer in the ’96 Olympics Gold Medal Relay and she grew up at the neighborhood pool that I swam at (Go RC!) She also still holds multiple records at my high school 🙂

Kyle Buchanan

Jamie Anderson – Why….she is a pretty bad a** female athlete. She has been fun to watch in the Winter X Games and always seems to have a great time out there on the slopes! Go USA 2014 – USA.swept the slopestyle snowboarding gold medals!!

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Cory Pelc

Ricardo Blas, Jr was a judoka from Guam. He holds the record for the largest Olympic athlete. He weighed in at the 2012 games at 218 kg. Or 481 pounds. Or 35 stones, if that is your fancy. And the dude knows judo. And his nickname is “the Little Mountain.” Homeboy is pretty ba-dass.

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Scott Hoffman

He didn’t win, but the way Steve Prefontaine ran the 5000m final in Munich was incredible – easily one of the best races I’ve ever watched. Obviously before my time, but he was the guy I idolized growing up, particularly when I was in cross country and track back in HS. Seriously, watch this race.

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Drew Troller

The entire men’s and women’s curling team for ‘Murrca.

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Gabriel Bellegard Bastos

Carl Lewis. Dude’s got some pipes.

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Jason Behler

I have to go with the original “Dream Team” from the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. This marked the first time the U.S. would bring professional players to compete in basketball at the Olympics. Despite the fact the Christian Laettner was part of this team, this is a collection of the ballers of my generation: David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler, Chris Mullins, Karl Malone, John Stockton, and Charles Barkley. They dominated, with their closest game coming in a 38-point victory over Puerto Rico.

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Gabriel Bellegard Bastos

Jason,
Have you seen this documentary?
http://www.guavaleaf.com/video/24658/NBATV%20Dream%20Team%20Documentary#sthash.ZoGMaXvH.dpbs

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Laura Mego

This might be an unpopular choice, but Michael Phelps- it’s breathtaking to watch him race, and dominate almost every single event he enters.

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Joshua Kan

Sprints always super fun to watch Carl Lewis, Justin Gatlin, Michael Johnson and his Gold Shoes, Maurice Green and his weird tonge thing, and current world’s fastest man Usain Bolt!

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Drew Troller

I don’t know this guy’s name, but I saw him doing the biathlon (skiing and shooting) and it was VERY exciting!

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Alex Cadice

Past Favorites: Rulon Gardner, Dream Tream, Michael Lewis, Mary Lou Retton (thanks in large part to Chris Kattan), Michael Phelps going Super Saiyan , and Jesse Owens. But the No. 1 moment was the “Miracle on Ice.”

Present: Gimme Kate Hansen and Ashley Wagner all day, everyday.

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Joshua Kan

Kerri Strugg. No explanation needed.

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Gabriel Bellegard Bastos

Then there’s this http://deadspin.com/your-guide-to-evgeni-plushenko-figure-skatings-old-ba-1519954100/@maxread

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Alex Cadice

Good call, Josh. That’s what I meant by Mary Lou Retton.

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Andy Solarz

Love Usain Bolt. During the 08 games, I read that he would drink Guinness and Redbull. Mixed. That led my friends to try to popularize the the drink, which we called “The World’s Fastest Man.” Recipe: 1/2 pint Guinness, topped with 1/2 pint Red Bull, chugged as fast as possible, and followed by the Lightning Pose.

Also, I think I had a crush on Kristie Yamaguchi when I was about 9.

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Chris Knost

Michael Johnson’s 200m & 400m domination in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta will forever be my favorite. Completing such a feat in gold shoes was an added bonus.

Also, I’m not sure this will ever be an Olympic sport, but it should be – – is the best use of Vine I’ve ever seen.

USA! USA! USA!

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Lindsay Krumel

I agree with Josh. How can you not love Kerri Strugg!?

And Kate Hansen’s dancing is the shit. Kind of reminds me of Michelle Jenneke. She’s not an Olympian, but she did win the 2012 World Junior Championships in Athletics.

Oh, and Georganne Moline. She ran the 400m hurdles in the 2012 Summer Olympics for Team USA. If you don’t know who she is, look her up. She’s gorgeous.

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Kate Stark

I still tear up anytime I see Kerri Strugg’s infamous vault, which makes watching the Olympics with people a little awkward, because then I have to explain why I’m about to cry at a Liberty Mutual commercial.

Also, I know he’s not an olympian, but I want to say how much I love Bob Costas. He’s always been one of my favorite hosts, and then he got pink eye and went on air. And then he got it in the other eye. And then he slammed some vodka on air, because his “eyes can’t get any redder.” http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/02/11/bob-costas-mary-carillo-vodka-shot-video/

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Laura Mego

Kate Stark- YES to all of the above- are we the same person?