Going for the Au by Matt McGann '00
An MIT alum will compete in Olympic skeleton.
Today, MIT alum Pat Antaki ’84 will compete in the Olympics. He will compete in the luge-like, super-crazy event of skeleton, where he will race down a pure ice track head first at 80 miles per hour. Since Antaki lives in the Dallas suburb of Plano, the Dallas Morning News has the full story.
Images of Pat Antaki from skeletonsport.com, photos by Tea Karvinen (TsK)
Antaki, who was born in and will compete for Lebanon, lived in Burton-Conner when he was an undergraduate. He was active in rugby, sailing, and, of course, UROP.
Pat Antaki isn’t the first MIT alum to go to the Olympics. Some others include:
CREW
Chet Riley ’62, 1964, United States
Gary Piantedosi ’76, 1976, United States
John Everett ’76, 1980, United States
Elizabeth Bradley ’81, 1988, United States
Steve Tucker ’91, 2000 and 2004, men’s lightweight double sculls, United States
FENCING
Joseph Levis ’26, 1932, Foil, United States, Silver medalist
Johan Harmenberg ’81, 1980, Epee, Sweden, Gold medalist
RIFLE
Herb Voelcker ’48, 1956, high-powered rifle, United States
SAILING
Ralph Evans, 1948, Firefly Dinghies, United States, Silver medalist
Ed Melaika, 1952, Finn Dinghies, United States
John Marvin ’49, 1956, Finn Dinghies, United States
Eric Olsen ’41, 1956, Sharpie (two-man), United States
John Bertrand, 1972, Finn Dinghies, Australia
Paula Lewin, 1992 and 1996, Europe Dinghies; 2004, Ynglings, Bermuda
SKIING
Alexis Photoiades ’91, 1988 and 1992, Cyprus
TAEKWONDO
Chinedum Osuji ’03, 2004, Trinidad and Tobago
TRACK AND FIELD
Thomas Pelham Curtis ’94, 1896, 110m hurdles, United States, Gold medalist
Henry Steinbrenner ’27, 1928, 220-yard hurdles, United States
WRESTLING
Nate Ackerman G, 2004, Freestyle 74kg, Great Britain
And don’t forget the cool ice skate research!
I’ll bite. What’s a Sharpie?
Is that “Cypress” as in the tree or the golf course?
Nice! That’s pretty neat
Shows that MIT isn’t just “brains and studying”. Go Beavers 
And Hasan, I understand what you’re saying about some people praising MIT profusely for their apps., but trust me you don’t have to put it like that or say it outright…let them make their own decisions, after all it’s their conscience that’ll bother them later on. But you do have a point 
Good Luck with still reading those applications Matt! I hope you’re almost done! (Wishful thinking, eh?) I’m glad you’re blogging more often! Oh By the way I have an inquiry that may or may not be so easy to answer…When exactly will the decisions be coming out, and will they be online or by mail? I know it’s “mid-march” but do you have any idea when exactly?
Thanks for everything!
Abdulaziz (Aziz) Albahar
I stand corrected. Serves me right for cutting and pasting (http://mitathletics.collegesports.com/history/mit-olympians.html). Apologies to the Cypriots.
Hi everyone. I’m thrilled that someone that graduated from MIT is playing in the Olympics especially one who is playing for my country of origin! I really hope he wins gold!
By the way Hasan I see that you are mad because you think that some people are sucking up but I believe that you not have said it so bluntly.
PS: Even though maybe some people post to try to ‘suck up’; most people who post do not!!
Hey ppl..wassup? i just want to tell u tht there is a limit to how much u praise MIT. Those of u who praise MIT profusely and think itll help ur apps think again. STOP sucking up!!!
Hey guys
Does it happen often that the material not arrive on time. Some part of my application is still missing. Is a copy of it sent by email acceptable in case it comes too late or never comes.
Thanks
Did I hear it right??? MIT just had the blu Gene supercomputer installed on campus.
maaaan.
MIT’s Blue Gene supercomputer was dedicated on Nov. 10, 2005.
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2005/computer-1109.html
i apologize for putting the words so bluntly. I agree with Aziz and Fadl. I shud of watered my words down. sorry ppl
Thats cool me do you live currnetly in leb.?? and hasan don’t sweat its not a big deal!
hey cool im a lebanese as well
Wow, I had no idea MIT had so many Olympians
Being blunt is good for somethings Hasan. Take bowling balls and cinder blocks for instance. However when bashing brown nosers I have always found that being subtle works the best. It is one of those life long lessons like learning to tie your shoes, or which pedal is the gas and which one is the brake. Sometimes you tie the shoes together and sometimes you hit a tree. All in all we must remember that sucking up does not make up for shear stupidity, only a Darwin Award can do that.
Hey the application tracking has disappeared. Does this mean that the application process has been finished. Matt is there any form that you have not read?