13 WTHR - Indianapolis News |Olympic gymnasts get big sendoff

Olympic gymnasts get big sendoff

Anne Marie Tiernon/Eyewitness News

Fishers - It was an Olympic-size send off Tuesday for some local Olympic athletes.

Two Indiana gymnasts are embarking on a trip of a lifetime.

Sam Peszek from Cathedral and Bridget Sloan from Tri West are both on the US gymnastics team.

Thursday, friends and family threw a surprise sendoff at DeVeau's gym in Fishers before the two 16-year-olds headed for the airport. There was lots of red, white and blue, as well as signs and proud friends to wish the young gymnasts good luck.

Pauline Roberts, Sam's maternal grandmother, was overwhelmed.

"I'll cry! It's very exciting. I'm so proud of Sam!" she said.

Peszek's coach, Peter Zhao, arrived first, jumping for the crowd. He also had a month's worth of needs packed in two bags. Moments later, the star of the day arrived.

"I was like what are all those people doing out there?" Sam said. "I think it is so awesome. I'm so lucky to have so many supporters."

Friends from the gym and Cathedral High School turned up.

"It's been really cool just watching her and how great she's been getting," said Hallie Benjamin, an 11-year-old gymnast.

"I can't believe that she is going to actually be gone a month or longer," said friend Hillary Wright.

During that time friends plan viewing parties back home. Seven relatives will travel to see Sam compete in person.

"It's going to be my family, my dad, me, my mom and then my grandma, grammy and my uncle," said Jessica, Sam's 13-year-old sister, also a gymnast.

Zhao thinks Sam will garner a medal for sure.

The flight on this day was to meet up with the rest of Team USA. Then later it's off to Beijing with room enough in her bags to bring a medal back to the Midwest.

WTHR Olympic Zone - Event schedules, athlete profiles, stories and more