The Hart of Walnut Olympic Alumni

Post date: Jan 30, 2018 3:55:39 PM

Published 1/26/18

By Shiv Malhotra, '20

William DeHart Hubbard

le miroir des sports/Wikimedia Commons

William DeHart Hubbard, WHHS class of 1922, became an icon of the Civil Rights Movement as the first African American to win an individual Olympic Gold Medal.

During his time at WHHS, Hubbard was known for his talents in football and track. While trying to participate in the football program, Hubbard and the rest of the team fought racial issues by protesting Hubbard’s prevention from playing because of his race, thereby forfeiting the rest of the season. Pushing through these hardships, Hubbard excelled on the track team. After graduating from WHHS, Hubbard accumulated numerous division titles and record times at the University of Michigan.

As a junior in college, Hubbard competed in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris in the long jump competition. He won an individual gold medal in this event, becoming an important icon for the Civil Rights Movement as an African American who fought through barriers to achieve athletic excellence.

After college, Hubbard worked for the Cincinnati Public Recreation Commission and later for a housing project. WHHS remembers Hubbard and his achievements in Track and Field and for his contributions in the Civil Rights Movement by holding the DeHart Hubbard Track and Field invitational for Junior High and High School students.

Mary Wineberg

Picasa web albums/Wikimedia Commons

Mary Wineberg, ‘98, raced her way to gold from an average high school runner to an Olympian. After graduating from WHHS, Wineberg attended the University of Cincinnati on an athletic scholarship and graduated in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in Education with a focus in Health Promotions.

After qualifying for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing by placing second in the U.S. Olympic Trials, she won gold during the 4x400 meter relay in track and field.

After retiring from running, she joined Cincinnati Public Schools as a second grade teacher, where she educates and inspires children to pan some gold of their own one day.

2018 Olympics storylines

Korean conflict captures world’s eyes

Though tensions between North Korea and South Korea seem to be rising, the two countries have announced a slight detente by deciding to march together at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea under the Joint Korean Flag.

The countries also plan to train their skiers together at a North Korean resort and may even form a joint ice hockey team.

However, controversy has shrouded these agreements, as some believe that it is not fair that some South Korean hockey players may get cut from the Olympics since there is a 23 player cap per individual team.

Some people have protested against this unification by burning unification flags, North Korean Flags and photos of Kim Jong Un, the Supreme Leader of North Korea.