BEIJING, China — With three Olympic Games and 25 years of competition under his belt, Brian Olson brings a “high level of both leadership and judo experience to the U.S. Olympic Team for judo” and will bring those qualities to his role as team captain.

“Coming off a three-year layoff and this being a younger team with a lot of first-time Olympians, I’ve very honored that everybody had come to a group consensus that I should be the captain,” said Olson.
 
Olson was named to the honorary role by his fellow athletes who unanimously elected him to the position on Wednesday.

A 1997 World medalist, Olson retired after the 2004 Games, but the 35-year-old came back to competition in October with the goal of winning a medal.

— USA Judo