BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (WTVG) — As the 2026 Winter Olympics get underway, Northwest Ohio is celebrating a hometown connection to Olympic gold.
Bowling Green native Scott Hamilton, now 67, remains one of the most recognizable figures in U.S. Olympic history. Hamilton won a gold medal in figure skating at the 1984 Winter Olympics, and his legacy continues to be honored in his hometown with a street named after him: Scott Hamilton Avenue.
The street has become a familiar place for local residents, including Bowling Green State University senior Lauryn Bockrath, who has lived on Scott Hamilton Avenue for the past three years.
“We were lucky enough to find a house here. It’s sometimes hard to find a house in BG,” said Bockrath, 22, of Ottawa.
Bockrath said living on a street named after an Olympic champion adds to the excitement surrounding the Winter Games. She also enjoys spending time skating at the local ice arena.
“I’ve been skating at the ice arena just for fun,” she said. “It’s always a good time—just try not to slip and fall.”
With the Olympics back in the spotlight, Hamilton’s achievements continue to inspire both longtime residents and a new generation of skaters in Bowling Green.