Boomer Phelps was just one member of the Team USA baby boom in 2016.
Over two dozen Olympians and Paralympians welcomed bouncing baby boys and girls this year. For some it was their first bundle of joy while others were already experienced parents. The female athletes, of course, had to take more time off from training and competition to usher in the next generation. Here are some of their stories:
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| Tony and Luna Azevedo |
Tony Azevedo, Water Polo
Daughter Luna, born on Oct. 17, 2016, 7 pounds, 15 ounces. The five-time Olympian, who won a silver medal in Beijing, was team captain in Rio. Azevedo, 35, and his wife Sara also have a son, Cruz, 3. “He wanted a baby brother,” Azevedo told US Weekly earlier this year. “And then my sister explained to him that I had a baby sister and took care of her, so now he wants a baby sister. He’s like, ‘I want a baby sister like you and I’m going to take care of her.’”
Lowell Bailey, Biathlon
Daughter Ophelia, born on June 15, 2016, 7 pounds, 3 ounces. Bailey, a three-time Olympian, finished eighth in the men’s individual 20-kilometer at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, the best finish ever by a Team USA biathlete at the time. Bailey’s wife, Erika, and Ophelia, their first child, are accompanying him in training and on the biathlon world cup tour. Bailey, 35, has gone on training runs while pushing Ophelia in a stroller or the baby has been strapped to her mother’s chest while her parents ski. “It is definitely an added challenge but I think the benefit of having our family together is worth it,” Bailey told TeamUSA.org. “I feel so fortunate to be able to share the experience with both Ophelia and Erika. I know she probably won't remember any of it, but I still feel like it has some sort of effect!”
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| (L-R) Jordan, Lauren, Ora and Beacon Burroughs |
Jordan Burroughs, Wrestling
Daughter Ora Reece, born on June 11, 2016, 7 pounds, 14 ounces. Burroughs, 28, a two-time Olympian and 2012 Olympic champion, withdrew from the Freestyle World Cup to be with wife Lauren when she went into labor. Ora Reece joined older brother Beacon, who is now 2, and the whole family was in Rio for the Olympic Games where Burroughs suffered a devastating early loss. He plans to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Matt Grevers, Swimming
Daughter Skylar Lee, born on Nov. 9, 2016, 8 pounds, 12 ounces. Grevers, 31, won four gold medals and two silvers at the 2008 and 2012 Games, and was Olympic champion in the 100-meter backstroke in London. Fittingly, he proposed to his wife Annie (Chandler), a former member of the national team, at a swim meet. Annie gave the scoop about the birth of their first child to Swimming World magazine, for which she is features editor. The couple announced their pregnancy in May via Instagram with a photo of two tiny yellow flippers between two large blue and red ones and a heart-shaped sign that said, “Baby Girl Grevers Coming Thanksgiving 2016.”
Trey Hardee, Track and Field
Daughter Francesca "Frankie" Nora, born Dec. 5, 2016, 8 pounds, 7 ounces. Hardee is a two-time Olympic decathlete, 2012 silver medalist and won two world championships while his wife, the former Chelsea Johnson, won the silver medal at the 2009 world championships in women's pole vault. “Just met the love of my life,” Hardee tweeted with a photo of him holding his first child.
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| Nicole Joranstaad and Ty Cole Burgenske |
Nicole Joraanstad, Curling
Son Ty Cole Burgenske, born on June 30, 2016, 7 pounds. Joraanstad, 36, was a 2010 Olympian and represented the U.S. at nine women’s world championships – winning the silver medal in 2006 – during her 21-year curling career. Ty is the second child for Joranstaad and husband Derek Burgenske, joining sister Emma, who turned 4 in September. Joraanstad told TeamUSA.org that she curled until the end of April, when she was 28 weeks pregnant and “getting quite big” at the Players Championship in Toronto. “For the most part people are like, ‘That’s so cool you’re still able to be out here competing at the highest level,’” she said. Joranstaad announced her retirement six days after Ty was born, although that was mainly because her team, skipped by Erika Brown, decided to retire “and I can’t imagine not playing with the same gals,” she said. Joranstaad had returned to the ice after Emma was born. “She is still very confused why I’m not traveling like I have after first four years of her life,” Joranstaad said. “She got to watch me compete and she’ll remember that. Ty won’t have that same experience.” Ty's middle name, she said, “is something that I was called when I was younger by some of my cousins that couldn't say Nicole. Derek and I struggled to find a first name we could agree on but finally solidified it early in June.”
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| (L-R) Dom Dwyer, Sydney Leroux Dwyer and Cassius Cruz Dwyer |
Sydney Leroux Dwyer, Soccer
Son Cassius Cruz, born on Sept. 10, 2016. Leroux Dwyer is a striker on the U.S. Women’s National Team who won a gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Her husband Dom Dwyer is a striker with Sporting Kansas City. Leroux Dwyer, 26, tweeted a photo of the baby with the caption, “You are the best thing your parents ever did.” The night before Cassius was born, Dwyer celebrated his 58th career goal by stuffing a soccer ball under his shirt and kissing his wedding band. If Cassius becomes an elite athlete, he could play for three different national teams: Leroux is Canadian and American while Dwyer is from Great Britain.
Tony McQuay, Track and Field
Son Eli Kendrick, born on Sept. 24, 2016. McQuay, 26, won an Olympic gold medal in the 4x400-meter at the Rio 2016 Games to go along with a silver from 2012. Autumn Thomas gave birth to his first child just over a month later. In an Instagram post showing the sleeping “Baby Quay,” his proud papa said, “P.S. I made that swaddle.”
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| Bode and Emeline Grier Miller |
Bode Miller, Alpine Skiing
Daughter Emeline Grier, born on Nov. 5, 2016, 7 pounds, 4 ounces. Miller, 39, is a four-time Olympian who won gold in the super combined in 2010 in Vancouver and was the surprising bronze medalist in super-G in Sochi. He and his wife Morgan Beck Miller, a former beach volleyball player, had baby Emeline at home, just as they did her brother Nash, who was born May 18, 2015. Miller also has two other children from previous relationships, Samuel, 3, and Neesyn, 8.
Tim Morehouse, Fencing
Twins Zoe Alaina and Jack Frank, born on Sept. 2, 2016. Zoe, who was born 2 minutes before her brother, weighed 4 pounds, 8 ounces, and Jack was 6 pounds. Morehouse, 38, who won a silver medal in men’s team saber in 2008, and wife Rachael had their twins decked out in “Gold Medal Athlete” onesies a day after they were born.
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| Michael, Nicole and Boomer Robert Phelps |
Michael Phelps, Swimming
Son Boomer Robert Phelps, born on May 5, 2016, 6 pounds, 12 ounces. Phelps, 31, and Nicole Johnson were secretly married on June 13 (then had a public wedding after the Games). Mother and baby accompanied Phelps to Rio, where Boomer received attention for his cute outfits and noise-cancelling headphones, while Dad won five gold medals and one silver to cap his Olympic career with 28 overall medals, including 23 golds. Phelps said of the baby’s birth “Best feeling I have ever felt in my life.” Boomer’s middle name honors Phelps’ longtime coach, Bob Bowman. Phelps flew home from a training camp to be with Nicole for the birth.
David Plummer, Swimming
Son Ricky, born on May 18, 2016, 8 pounds, 2 ounces. Plummer, 31, who made his first Olympic team this year, won the bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke and a gold in the 4x100-meter medley at the Rio Games. He and his wife Erin, a former swimmer who is now a doctor, also have a son, Will, who is 3. Ricky was born two weeks before his dad’s personal-record swim at a meet in Indianapolis.
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| Kikkan and Breck Stuart Randall |
Kikkan Randall, Cross-Country Skiing
Son Breck Stuart Randall, born on April 14, 2016, 8 pounds, 11 ounces. The four-time Olympian, who is married to Jeff Ellis, took the 2015-16 season off for the birth of their first child. Randall, who will turn 34 on Dec. 31, quickly returned to training and is competing full-time this season. Randall, who has won three season-long sprint titles and was the first American woman to win a world cup in her sport, said when announcing her pregnancy, “After Sochi, I thought a lot about my future and the goals I still want to achieve. I was always committed to continue racing, but Jeff and I also wanted to start a family. We felt this was a good time. I’m excited about becoming a mother, but am also looking forward to coming back to race in 2017.”
Amy Rodriguez, Soccer
Son Luke, born on July 1, 2016. Rodriguez, 29, and her husband, former collegiate water polo player Adam Shilling, also have another son, Ryan, who was born on Aug. 6, 2013, about a year after Rodriguez won a gold medal at the London 2012 Games. Rodriguez’s teammates helped care for young Ryan when she returned to competition. “I missed the sport for months and months,” she said. “I’d watched my team play. Soccer is what I love to do and I wasn’t ready to stop.”
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| Henrik, Abra and Oliver Harvey Rummel |
Henrik Rummel, Rowing
Son Oliver Harvey, born on July 23, 2016, 8 pounds, 8 ounces. Rummel, 29, is a two-time Olympian who won a bronze medal in the men’s four in 2012 and was seventh in 2016 in the same event. He and his wife Abra decided to induce Oliver’s birth “because we were getting too close to me leaving for the Olympics,” Rummel told TeamUSA.org. “We opted for an elective induction after talking with our doctors so that Abra didn't have to go through the birth alone, and so I got to see his birth!” The Rummels were two doors down from fellow Olympians Bryan Volpenhein and Sarah Trowbridge-Volpenhein at the same New Jersey hospital. Rummel pointed out that Oliver’s birthday is two prime numbers and said he is “super easy and a super happy baby and an absolute joy to take care of!” Oliver could also be a super athlete, maybe even an Olympian in say, 2034 or 2040. “His mom is a good volleyball player,” Rummel said, “and current head coach of a Division I program, so hopefully he'll be representing the U.S. in either volleyball or rowing!”
Alicia Sacramone, Gymnastics
Daughter Sloan Scott, born on Aug. 5, 2016, 6 pounds, 5 ounces. Sacramone, 29, who won a silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games and 10 medals at the world championships from 2005 to 2011, and her husband, former NFL quarterback Brady Quinn, said their first child was born “Just in time for the Olympic Opening Ceremonies.”
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| Keith, Claire and Asher Tyson Sanderson |
Keith Sanderson, Shooting
Son Asher Tyson, born on March 20, 2016, 7 pounds, 8 ounces. Sanderson’s wife, Claire, gave birth to their first child 10 days after Keith returned from the Bangkok World Cup. The 41-year-old pistol shooter is a three-time Olympian. Claire grew up with the sport of track cycling, with her father a coach and her mother an official. Claire is still actively involved as a national-level official and race promoter.
Ahmed Shafik, Powerlifting
Son Saif, born on Sept. 2, 2016, 7 pounds, 8 ounces. Shafik, 43 is a two-time Paralympian. His wife, Nour Qasem, gave birth to Saif a day before he left for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. They also have an older son named Abdul.
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| Brian and Liam Francis Sheridan |
Brian Sheridan, Paralympic Cycling
Son Liam Francis, born Sept. 18, 2016, 8 pounds, 4 ounces. Sheridan’s wife, Ana, went into labor while Sheridan, 41, was flying home from his first Paralympic Games in Rio. “I was two hours too late,” he said. “I had changed my flight to come home earlier after having a dream about missing his birth.” His original schedule had him arriving home on Sept. 22. Liam joined siblings Livia, 2, and Laken, 20.
Bryan Volpenhein and Sarah Trowbridge-Volpenhein, Rowing
Son Otto Monroe Volpenhein, born on July 25, 2016, 8 pounds, 14 ounces. Bryan, 40, is a three-time Olympian (2004 gold medalist and 2008 bronze medalist in the men’s eight) and a current Team USA coach. Sarah, 34, is a 2012 Olympian, who also helped coach the U.S. team. “Her water broke while she was rigging a boat,” Volpenhein said. Fellow rower Henrik Rummel and his wife were two doors down at the same New Jersey hospital. Five days after Otto was born, Volpenhein left for Rio.
Andrew Weibrecht, Alpine Skiing
Daughter Adalina Clune, born on Feb. 4. 2016. Weibrecht, 30, an Olympic silver medalist in 2014 and bronze medalist in 2010, was in PyeongChang at the Olympic test event when his wife Denja had the baby. With Weibrecht contending for the season-long world cup title in super-G, his wife told him to go to South Korea. "It was tough but at the same time she was really supportive of it and she really wanted me to do it," Weibrecht told the Associated Press. "She wanted me to be home but she felt strongly that I come over and see this through." Alas, Weibrecht was leading at the first split, got late off the first jump, put his body through a panel and did not finish. Then he rushed home to New York to meet his daughter. Organizers offered him a seat on a private jet from the venue to the airport in Seoul. Denja and Adalina are traveling with Weibrecht on the world cup circuit this year.
