Flanagan donates $1000 for hometown cause

Thu 02/10/2008 10:44

Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist Shalane Flanagan has donated $1000 to help a YMCA building in her native town of Marblehead, Massachusetts get built on time, spikesmag.com.

The distance star made the generous pledge during a welcome home ceremony following her achievements in Beijing in which Flanagan became the first US athlete to win a medal in the event for 16 years.

Flanagan, who began her athletics career at the Marblehead/Swapscott YMCA as a promising swimmer, also urged the audience to match her donation or help in whatever way they could.

Flanagan, who now lives in North Carolina, said: “I look forward to coming back to Marblehead in December [to visit family and friends]. We’ll definitely be working out a lot at the Y[MCA].”

It is not uncommon for athletes to make generous pledges.

US 100m hurdles champion Lolo Jones donated the $4000 she was awarded for winning the Olympic Trials in July to help assist the flood relief effort in Iowa. Her donation was matched by her sponsors – Asics and Oakley – for a total of $12,000.