Darnstown native Ashley Nee did well enough to advance in women's kayak singles at the Rio Olympics today. She moves on to the K1W semifinal.
Nee narrowly missed two previous trips to the Olympics. It's nice to see her Olympic journey continue.
We first met her in June at the Dickerson Whitewater Course on the grounds of the NRG Power Plant. She started training at the facility when she was 12 years old. They had a send off for the canoe/kayak team June 3.
Nee graduated from Northwest High School in Germantown and is a few credits shy of a Kinesiology degree from the University of Maryland.
She doesn't move on alone. Her teammates on the USA Canoe/Kayak team also advance.
Casey Eichfeld will take part in his first Olympic semifinal in the Men's singles canoe category.
He and his partner in the canoe doubles, Devin McEwan will compete in the Men's two person canoe semifinal.
Also advancing, Michal Smolen in the K1 Men's semifinal.
Nee, Eichfeld and Smolen all train at the man-made Dickerson Whitewater Course. So while Eichfeld and Smolen aren't actual locals, they spend enough time in the neighborhood for us to pay attention.
