Today, August 5, is the official start of the summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the opening ceremonies airing tonight nationwide and around the world. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to compete in the Olympics with thousands of top-performing athletes? It became a reality for one ALPA pilot 32 years ago.
F/O Alonzo Babers (UAL) competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, and ALPA talked to Babers to hear about his life as a track and field competitor and as a member of the U.S. Air Force turned pilot.
“I remember feeling like I had a really good chance of winning,” he said, but the odds-on favorite was a fellow U.S. runner Antonio McKay. Did Babers fly home with the gold and achieve Olympic history? Read more.
***Hey, United pilots—proud to fly Team USA for the past 35 years—share your photos and stories! Tag us on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook with pictures of you and your favorite #TeamUSA medalists during this year’s Summer Olympics in Rio.