It was one “Sam-tastic” celebration welcoming home our Geist Olympic Silver Medalist Samantha Peszek at Deveau’s School of Gymnastics on Aug. 25th. Peszek arrived in a silver convertible (courtesy of John Dick, Century 21 Realty Group Companies) — a perfect match for the silver medal she waved to the crowd!
Now Sam is settling back into a normal routine — if there is such a thing after winning a silver medal in Beijing!
“It feels great to come home to my family and friends; it is just so good to be back!” says Sam.
Her mom, Luan, agrees: “We are so happy to be home and have gained memories to last a lifetime. Everyone has been great…we are so lucky to have such a great community!”
The medal is kept in the Peszek living room for now, but Sam is busy carrying it all over. On the day I stopped by Deveau’s, Sam wasn’t there. Sam (and the medal) were taping Oprah’s season premiere with other Olympians in Chicago!
My favorite part of that story is Sam setting off the metal detector at the airport. Imagine their surprise when they learned it was an Olympic silver medal that set off the machine!
Sam also will be appearing at an Indiana Fever game with other Olympians, in the Greenfield Christmas parade as Grand Marshall and at the 2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars coming to Conseco Fieldhouse Nov. 11.
When I did talk with Sam, she said going to the Olympics has been a dream come true for her and her family.
“It is such an honor competing for your country,” says Sam. “I didn’t get to fulfill my Olympic dream exactly the way I wanted to. It wasn’t exactly the fairy tale I thought it would be, but it is still such an honor to be able to go and bring home a silver medal.”
Peszek is referring to an injury that happened during warm ups at the Olympics which forced her to sit out one of her strongest events in Beijing. However, she did get to compete in one event along with fellow Hoosier Bridget Sloan of Pittsboro, earning the silver medal as part of the U.S. team that finished second to China.
Will she try for the Olympic gold in the future? “Not sure at this time,” says Sam. “ I’ll have to think about it.”
[kml_flashembed movie="http://jumpcut.com/media/flash/jump.swf?id=EDFF182672FF11DD9F59000423CF385C&asset_type=movie&asset_id=EDFF182672FF11DD9F59000423CF385C&eb=1" width="408" height="324" wmode="transparent" /]Longtime owner of Deveau’s school of gymnastics Joan Deveau, who built the gym in Fishers in 1995 and watched Sam grow up there, was equally excited about Sam’s trip to the Olympics.
“I am so proud of her—even with her injury. I new she was disappointed, but she never looked upset on camera. She handled everything so well,” DeVeau said.
Congratulations to our neighbor and Silver Medalist Sam Peszek, and good luck getting your life back home “back to normal”!
