QUEENS — They are the pride of the borough.
The Queens Olympians of Team USA who competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro were honored during a homecoming ceremony at Queens Borough Hall Monday.
“We are so proud of our Olympians who are from Queens but we are also proud how they represented [the] United States of America at the Olympics,” said Borough President Melinda Katz, who also called them “excellent role models for our youth.”
Rochdale native Dalilah Muhammad who became the first American woman ever to win the 400m hurdles attended the event along with Natasha Hastings who grew up in Rosedale and won gold in the women's 4x400 relay.
Cardozo High School graduate, sprinter Deajah Stevens, and table tennis player Jennifer Yue Wu, who was born in Beijing and grew up in Flushing also participated.
St. John's University graduate and saber fencer Daryl Homer and former resident of Laurelton Phyllis Francis, who also won gold as member of Team USA in women's 4x400 relay along with Hastings, were represented by their family members.
Katz presented the Olympians with proclamations recognizing them for their athletic accomplishments.
They "represent the best of this borough," she said.
Hastings, who has been running since she was 10, said that she still remembers practicing her “very, very early 400 meters” in Roy Wilkins Park in St. Albans where she said she decided it would be the track and field event she would focus on.
Queens Borough President Melinda Katz presents Dalilah Muhammad with a proclamation honoring her athletic accomplishments. (DNAinfo/Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska)
Her voice breaking with emotion, Muhammad said she was "so happy to bring this home for Queens.”
She said that since she returned to the U.S. from Rio, many young kids have been telling her that they wanted to be like her.
“I have a message to you guys,” she said. “Strive to be 10 times better than me.”
“I kept my goals to myself because in my own head I thought they were too big,” she said, but dreaming big helped her win her gold medal.
"You too can do it,” she said.
