Steve Burns
WMAL.com
SILVER SPRING, Md. – (WMAL) Montgomery County’s top officials are set to hold a reception Monday night for three of the county’s Olympians: Jack Conger, Katie Ledecky, and Ashley Nee.
County Executive Ike Leggett tells WMAL the celebration had long been in the planning stages, but finding a night suitable for all three became difficult.
“This was an occasion whereby we said, ‘Okay, let’s wait.’ The important thing for us is to recognize them, and not try to do something that’s a conflict with so many other schedules, a time when they are not here.”
Ledecky, a Bethesda native and Stone Ridge graduate, became one of the more well-known names to emerge out of the 2016 Rio games, coming home with four gold medals and one silver. She now swims for Stanford University. Conger, of Rockville, also came home with a gold in the 4×200 freestyle relay. Nee, also from Bethesda, competed in the Canoe Slalom. Another Olympian, Helen Maroulis, earned a gold medal in wrestling. The County said she will be unable to attend.
“We’re very proud of them and there’s a lot of hoopla that goes around,” Leggett said. “We wanted to make certain that our county recognizes the very special nature to have Olympians from Montgomery County.”
Leggett also said the County will be creating a Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame. The four Olympians will be the first inductees.
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