During the two weeks the Olympics have been going on, I have been going back and forth via e-mail with six-time Gold Medalist Amy Van Dyken. I am pretty sure I can get a good following to get Amy running the Olympics very soon.

Here you go:

Garret Heinrich – Amy you won 6 gold medals in two different Summer Games. You are far more athletic than I have ever been and probably 95% of America, but you won those golds swimming. I swim every summer but don’t get anything except prune fingers. Why don’t the speedskaters and downhill skiers get as much credit as you and your fellow Summer Olympians?

Amy Van Dyken – I’m not sure why the winter Olympians don’t get the credit summers do. Maybe because the Summer games are what started the entire Olympic movement. Maybe because our uniforms are tighter, smaller and more revealing? I’m not sure. I love watching the Winter Games…but I was born in Colorado. Maybe that has something to do with it. A lot of states don’t get snow, so maybe they don’t appreciate what these athletes are really doing. Maybe put Lindsey Vonn in a Speedo, and they will get more credit…more ratings for sure!!!

GH – Let me first say that I would like to nominate you for IOC president. Lindsey Vonn in a Speedo, brilliant. But are the competitors in the Winter Games more better athletes than those in the Summer Games? Running, jumping, riding a bike, and swimming aren’t that hard. I’ve done each of those in my life at least once. Or are they just more specialized? Who would win in a foot race you or Lindsey Vonn? Can we do it in Bikinis?

AVD- I find it interesting that people say swimming, biking and running are easy…because they can do it. Well, sure you can swim to keep from drowning, or run from a date gone wrong…but in order to do it as well, without a single mistake and as fast as we do…Is NOT easy. I trained 8 hours a day, 6 days a week with only 2 weeks off a year…10,000 meters a day…and my longest race was :59 seconds, and 100 meters!! I do find it insulting when people think it’s easy. I get offered to race more than you could imagine. Listen…I won 6 gold medals, had world records…I was the best in the world. Just because you are a “dude” doesn’t mean you can do it as well as we do. It is not only a God given gift…it is hours upon hours of training. It is not going to Prom, not having a social life…so sure, you can do it…but not like we can.

I think it would be a good race between Lindsey and I. I think we should get that one done. It may just come down to who’s bikini top doesn’t fall off!!

GH – I do find what you do amazing, by the way. A little bit of my swimming history. When I was 9 my brother thought it would be funny to pull me under as I was swimming. I swallowed a lot of water and came up coughing and ended up throwing up in the public pool. Closed the pool for 3 days. I’m pretty proud of that. But now if I do more than two laps I start to panic and think my brother is down there somewhere ready to drown me (He lives in Utah but I’m convinced he sneaks down here just when I’m swimming). So I think it would be hilarious to race 100M. I’d get to meter 50 and start flailing around and crossing lanes. There is no way I could do what you did that is for sure. Love how you threw in the fact you have 6 Gold Medals. If I had a medal in anything I would put it in my e-mail signature.

“Garret Heinrich – Honorary Mention, Villalovoz Elementary Science Fair”

I’d be a horrible person if I ever won anything. How do you not flaunt that you were the best in what you do by a lot?

I am starting to put in some calls for this foot race, I’m very excited.

Let’s get off the Winter vs. Summer thing for a second and talk about judges. As an athlete that competed in a true sport – I define as a clear winner by either time, distance or points – do you find sports that rely on judges as ridiculous as I do?

As the new IOC president (The campaign has already started) what will you do to get rid of judges?

AVD – Judges are the most ridiculous thing EVER!!! You work your entire life for one moment…you may be the best at that moment, but because someone is having a bad day, or doesn’t like your hair, country, eye color etc…you won’t get the score you deserve. I don’t know how to change how those sports would receive their medals, but we have to change it.

Now, I have to go…I hear someone brought in a sandwich of some sort I need to go eat.

GH – Thank you so much for all your time and your candidness in answering my mostly ridiculous questions. Here is the last and possibly most ridiculous.

So you have six. Can I borrow a gold medal some day? I just want to go to the mall with it around my neck and see if I can convince anyone I’m Shaun White.

AVD – NO way , Jose!! Those things, although gangstah…not practical with most outfits. As for the Shaun White thing…UMMMM, yeah, sure…whatever makes you feel better.

I believe just innovative ideas from Amy for promotion of the Olympics. Why can’t we get more Summer vs. Winter activities. It would be like battle of the network stars except with real athletes doing real competitions.

E-mail Comments or Questions to gheinrich@ktar.com

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