Mission Viejo celebrates Olympic history on International Olympic Day

The City of Mission Viejo has a long history of producing legendary Olympians and hosting Olympic events.

International Olympic Day commemorates the founding of the International Olympic Committee on June 23, 1894.

In 1984, Mission Viejo was proud to host the cycling road race for men and women in the Los Angeles Summer Games. You can visit this location and learn more at the finish line monument on Olympiad Road.

Florence Joyner Olympiad Park – located at 22760 Olympiad Road – features a statue of the legendary Olympian from Mission Viejo as well as information about a number of Mission Viejo Olympians.

Mission Viejo Olympians include: Al Joyner, Florence Joyner, Michele Mitchell, Greg Louganis, Wendy Wyland, Lisa Jacob, Jeanne M. Beauprey Reeves, Julie Foudy, Carolyn Schuler Jones, Brian Goodell, Don August and Tiffany Cohen.

Earlier this year, Mayor Brian Goodell - winner of two gold medals at the 1976 Montreal Summer Games - gave a presentation about Mission Viejo’s role in “Olympics of the Past, Present and Future,” which is available to view on the City’s YouTube Channel.

Olympic imagery is also in the City seal and along the Oso Creek Trail. Can you spot it?

Mission Viejo was honored to serve as a Host Town for delegations from Spain and Indonesia during the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles. The City continues to embrace its Olympic history and hopes to bring both national and international athletes to the City for training for the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games.