By Paul Gittings
Like the legendary athlete, Killman comes from a part Native American background in Oklahoma, and is a registered member of Citizen Potawatomi Nation (CPN).
Thorpe, who grew up in the Sac and Fox Nation, was spoken of in hushed tones by her elders.
"I'm very proud of my background," Killman told CNN. Her tribe are proud of her as well, regularly highlighting her achievements in their publications.
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For more on the subject, see:
http://colorlines.com/archives/2012/07/american_indian_synchronized_swimmer_takes_one_of_only_two_spots_at_olympics.html
American Indian Synchronized Swimmer Takes Spot at Olympics
Synchronized swimming fans will have their eyes focused on Mary Killman and her partner Mariya Koroleva at the Olympics games in London this summer because they are the only two U.S. synchronized swimmers to qualify. Killman, 21, is a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and she’s known to occasionally place the letters CPN on her swimsuits to honor her heritage.
Killman and Koroleva will be competing in the duets category and will be the only two U.S. representatives in the sport at the London Games. Team USA did not qualify for the team portion of synchronized swimming.
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