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| CSTV to Air Roberto Benitez Feature - 6/14/04 |
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NEW YORK, June 9, 2004 - There is perhaps no bigger dream of an American athlete than to represent the United States in the Olympics, and CSTV: College Sports Television (www.collegesports.com), the fastest-growing independent cable network, will chronicle such a quest, that of bantamweight boxer Roberto Benitez, when it premieres U.S. Olympic Pursuit: Against The Ropes Wednesday, June 16 (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).
"This reality program paints a portrait of a young athlete pursuing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and the sacrifice he must make to live his life-long dream of making the Olympic team," said Joel Feld, executive vice president and executive producer, CSTV. "Against The Ropes tells an intimate, behind-the-scenes story of an athlete that will have all fans and viewers rooting for him."
The June 16 premiere is a special presentation of College Sports TV's weekly U.S. Olympic Pursuit original series, the first regularly scheduled, year-round television programming dedicated to showcasing amateur athletes and future Olympic champions.
U.S. Olympic Pursuit: Against The Ropes follows Benitez as he trains for and later competes in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials. A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Benitez grew up in New York City's Lower East Side and began boxing in 1992 at age 12. He fell short in his bid for a spot on the 2000 Olympic team. While many of those training alongside him subsequently turned pro, Benitez chose to set his sights on the 2004 Athens.
The June 16 special depicts Benitez' training at the U.S. Olympic Education Center on the campus of Northern Michigan University as part of a program which enables aspiring Olympians to pursue a college degree while in training. Benitez earned an associates degree from Northern Michigan while training there. In the ring, Benitez was under the tutelage of the legendary Al Mitchell, who is assisted by David Reid, the last American boxer to win an Olympic gold medal, at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
The program tracks Benitez during his strenuous training regimen and features footage of his bouts against some of the best amateur talent in the world. U.S. Olympic Pursuit: Against The Ropes features interviews with Benitez, Mitchell, Reid, Benitez' mother and Jeff Kleinschmidt, the head of the U.S. Olympic Education Center.
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