BELLEFONTAINE, Ohio (WLIO) - Dozens gathered in Bellefontaine Wednesday afternoon for a watch party, for an Olympic Snowboarder with West Central Ohio ties.
Louie Vito, who represented the United States in the Vancouver games, and participated on the Italian team in Beijing is once again competing for the Italian team this year. Vito taking part in qualifying trying to advance to the next round of competition in the half pipe. Vito grew up in Bellefontaine learning to Snowboard at Mad River Mountain before heading to Vermont to train for advanced competition. The watch party was organized by a family friend and former teacher of Vito's who talked about what it means to the community.
"After his first Olympics, we did a meet and greet here, and the governor came and representatives came, and Louis signed autographs, and the street people were lined up down the street and around the corner with snowboards and everything," said Kris Swisher, Vito's former teacher. "We're going to do that again, and we hope he'll be in our America 250 parade in September as a celebrity. There's great people in this town, and we all do our part, but it's pretty exceptional that someone from Bellefontaine, Ohio, who started snowboarding on Mad River Mountain, is in the Olympics."
Vito has earned multiple medals in past X-Games and other competitions outside of the Olympics. Louie Vito also gained fame for competing in the ninth season of Dancing with the Stars.
