HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2002-4720, by Representatives Nixon, Ruderman, Esser, Van Luven, Ballasiotes, Pflug, Jarrett, Anderson, Sommers, Cox, McMorris, Boldt, DeBolt, Bush, Orcutt, Morell, Holmquist, Reardon, Haigh, Ogden, Doumit, McDermott, Skinner, Buck, Cairnes, Upthegrove, Fromhold, Simpson, Miloscia, Tokuda, Wood and McIntire

      WHEREAS, Jill Bakken of Kirkland, along with teammate Vonetta Flowers, won the gold medal in the inaugural women's Olympic bobsled race; and

      WHEREAS, Jill Bakken and Vonetta Flowers had the fastest combined time of 1 minute, 37.76 seconds in both runs; and

      WHEREAS, Vonetta Flowers, the team's brakewoman and a former track star at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, became the first African-American athlete to win a Winter Olympic gold medal; and

      WHEREAS, Jill Bakken is a graduate of Lake Washington High School and is remembered as an ambitious sports competitor who also excelled in skiing, basketball, and soccer; and

      WHEREAS, Jill Bakken has been a member of the bobsled team since its inception in 1994, when she left Lake Washington High School to begin training; and

      WHEREAS, In 1995, Jill Bakken was the United States Olympic Committee Sportswoman of the Year; and

      WHEREAS, In order to help her training, Jill Bakken joined the Army and went through basic training and received assistance in the Armed Forces World Class Athlete Program and still serves in the National Guard; and

      WHEREAS, During her years as a student at Lake Washington High School, Jill Bakken was a three-time All-Kingco soccer player; and

      WHEREAS, Jill Bakken and Vonetta Flowers were not favored as medal contenders and yet overcame the seemingly insurmountable odds to race on to victory;

      NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the State of Washington recognize and honor Jill Bakken and Vonetta Flowers for their outstanding and landmark achievement in women's bobsled racing; and

      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives to Jill Bakken, Vonetta Flowers, the International Olympic Committee, and the United States Olympic Committee.

      I hereby certify this to be a true and correct copy of

      4720 Resolution adopted by the House of Representatives

                          March 12, 2002.

                   _____________________________

                   Cynthia Zehnder, Chief Clerk