| Article number: | BK-GFWIG |
That familiar refrain is heard in every Olympics, but truly it could be "Wis-con-sin! Wis-con-sin!" Since pioneering hurdler Alvin Kraenzlein got his Olympic start in the Badger State in the 1890s, Wisconsin has nurtured, trained, or schooled more than 400 Olympic athletes in a vast array of sports -- from weightlifter Oscar Osthoff to speed skater Dan Jansen and from gymnast Paul Hamm to runner Susie Favor Hamilton. Wisconsin's varied landscape and climate accommodate serious athletes whether they compete on ice, water, or terra firma, and thriving university and youth sports cultures have produced many homegrown Olympians.
