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Hometown Olympians Receive Texas-Size Welcome

By Courtney Zavala

POSTED: Saturday, August 23, 2008

HOUSTON -- Olympic medalists Jonathan Horton, Raj Bhavsar and their coach, Kevin Mazeika, received a Texas-sized welcome when returned to their hometown of Houston, KPRC Local 2 reported Saturday.

"To set foot back on American soil and to know what I did so many thousand miles away, it completes the journey. I'm just really glad to be home," said USA gymnastics team member, Raj Bhavsar.

The trio was welcomed by screaming young fans and parents with cameras, capturing every moment as the Olympians shared their experiences.

"You dream about it, but when it actually happens, I don't even know what to think. You're drawing a blank. It's like, 'Wow we just did something incredible here.' It's surreal," said USA Gymnastics Team member Jonathan Horton.

Aspiring young Olympians were in the crowd, making their commitment even stronger.

"I want to go to the Olympics and win," said Gabriel who spends several hours a week training at Houston Gymnastics Academy.

USA Team Coach Kevin Mazeika said the experience was even sweeter because the celebration was in the gym he started with his family years ago. He is proud to have coached a team that defeated the odds and the speculation. When the teams top two athletes withdrew, no one thought they would earn a medal.

"That just makes what they've done even more remarkable. The experience was amazing. You had 18,000 people cheering for the U.S.A It was amazing," said Mazeika.

Houston mayor Bill White declared Aug as 23 Houston Gymnastics Day.

Previous Stories:

August 23, 2008: Houston Gymnast Receives Hero's Homecoming
August 19, 2008: Houston Gymnast Wins Silver On Horizontal Bars
July 29, 2008: Houstonian Named to U.S. Gymnastics Team

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