Medalhead

Your guide to obscure Olympic fame

by Molly Eichel

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Published: Jul 29, 2008

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There are two kinds of Olympic sports: the ones everyone knows — running, swimming, gymnastics, diving — and the ones where you have to ask, "Who practices that?" The answer: you.

In January, Philly hosted the ping-pong Olympic trials (during which our very own Running Numbers guru Nick Norlen tried out) — now it's your turn to follow in their footsteps. For the casual player, there's Bob & Barbara's (1509 South St., 215-545-4511) every Tuesday night, where you can drink and play table tennis (beat that, International Olympic Committee). If your idea of competition isn't slamming the sloppy girl on the opening serve, try the Klein Jewish Community Center, where you can pick from the cream of the Northeastern crop (every Mon., Wed. and Thu., 6-10 p.m., 10100 Jamison Ave., 215-698-7300).

Unleash your inner Ted Nugent! B&A Archery (7169 State Road, 215-333-3520, bnaa.biz) doubles as a range and an outfitter, so don't fear if you're bow-and-arrowless. They have two floors of targets, at distances of 20 and 30 yards. Olympic targets are at about 76.5 yards, so get practicing.

"Race walking is a middle ground. You get the aerobic effects of running with shock absorbers so you don't eat your body up," says Jeff Salvage, former competitive race walker. Salvage is the proprietor of racewalk.com and leader of the Philadelphia Area Striders Team (P.H.A.S.T.), where he teaches everyone from beginners who just want to correct their stride to competitors learning the subtleties of the sport. Salvage coached a member of the 2004 Olympic team, but never got there himself. "I was able to race walk for five years competitively," he says. "Ultimately, I got hurt and decided my career was elsewhere." He now teaches computer science at Drexel. (P.H.A.S.T. meets at 5 p.m. every Tuesday. To join, e-mail Salvage at jsalvage@racewalk.com.)

The only sport created specifically for the Olympics, the modern pentathlon simulates the qualities of a good soldier: fencing, shooting, swimming, riding and running. All in one day. Suck it, sprinters, you got nothing on modern pentathlete Emily DeRiel, a Havertown native and silver medalist in the first women's pentathlon at the 2000 Sydney games. Before Olympic glory, she trained in Philly. She crossed epées at the Fencing Academy of Philadelphia (3519 Lancaster Ave., 215-382-0293); swam with the Villanova Masters (Wildcat Swim Association, Lancaster Road and Ithan Avenue, Villanova, 610-519-6437); and rode at the Valley Forge Military Academy. (You can try the Bill Pickett Riding Academy: West River Drive at Montgomery Drive, 215-477-8090.) If, like DeRiel, you don't own a pistol, you can rent your own firearm at the Philadelphia Archery & Gun Club (831-833 Ellsworth St., 215-551-4544, philadelphiaarcheryandgunclub.com). For running, go at it alone at a public track like Franklin Field or try a running club such as the Philly Runners (phillyrunners.org.) Now living in Seattle, DeRiel keeps her Olympic success on the DL. "It's a fun little fact," she says. So where does she keep the silver? "It's normally in my sock drawer."

(molly.eichel@citypaper.net)

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