Sion Brinn, Two-Time Olympian
992 views · Published 14 July 2012 · 2:08 · Indexed 23 October 2026
Channel: Dayton 24/7 Now · 2012 · News & Politics
BEAVERCREEK -- "It's pretty special, but like I said not a lot of people know that I have been there and I don't brag about it," said local two-time Olympian Sion Brinn. Brinn's humble for a man who swam in two Olympics, first in 1996 as the lone swimmer for his homeland Jamaica. "It's fun, because I started making a name for myself as the blonde haired Jamaican guy and it became very, very fun," explained the 39-year-old. Then 23, Brinn soaked in everything in Atlanta, especially the opening ceremonies. "I said I can't miss this, this is pretty cool, I saw all the guys, I saw Muhammad Ali light the torch and that was pretty special." Brinn jumped to his father's homeland Great Britain in 97'. In the 2000 Sidney games Brinn, who's in the next to last lane at the top placed 8th with his medley team. The Wright State swim coach will still be watching some of his former competitors in London this month. "Last Olympics in 2008 there were still quite a few people I swam against that were still competing so I had a little bit more interest in it, this year there's maybe five still competing that I swam against." For a dozen years Brinn's had Wright State at the top in both men's and women's swimming as he pushes his athletes no matter what their goals in the pool. "Some may never look tot he Olympics as a goal, some do and it's pretty fun just trying to pass on some experiences at least." Brinn has two young daughters under five who are just starting to understand their dad's past success. "Their mom tells them daddy was in the Olympics they say they know, but I think they forgot already and that was just yesterday!" Brinn dodges any compliments now, but once his kids start asking every four years it will be worth going back down memory lane. "It's special to watch, it's a pretty amazing event, it's a lifelong dream of many individuals."
