Paralympic swimmer Jessica Long, track and field athlete Lopez Lomong, wheelchair basketball player Alana Nichols and gymnast Alicia Sacramone, join an elite group of long-time Visa-sponsored US athletes that include Olympic champions such as swimmers Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff, track and field sprint athlete Allyson Felix, beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh, gymnast Nastia Liukin and decathlete Bryan Clay.

"The Olympic and Paralympic Games begin and end with the athletes, and we're excited to add these four remarkable individuals to our growing roster of Visa-sponsored athletes," said Visa's chief marketing officer and global head of strategy and corporate development Antonio Lucio.

"Building on our legacy of athlete support since 1986, we remain committed to helping Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls achieve their lifelong goals as they embark on the greatest athletic challenges of their lives."

In the run up to the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, Visa, who has sponsored the Games for over 25 years, will support more than 50 individual athletes including Olympic gold medallists Yelena Isinbayeva from Russia, Emanuel Rego from Brazil and Valerie Adams from New Zealand, along with national teams from more than 20 countries, including the US, Canada, Brazil, China, Britain, South Africa and Russia.

The latest four athletes will join these other elite athletes to share their inspiring stories in Visa's global London 2012 marketing campaign - Go World - to connect with cardholders and help drive preference for and usage of Visa products worldwide.


"I'm thrilled to help Visa tell its Olympic story and join so many other world-class athletes who have benefited from Visa's support," said Sacramone (pictured), who won a silver medal in the team event at Beijing in 2008. 

"It takes tremendous commitment and sacrifice to become an Olympic athlete, but with Visa in my corner, I know I'm one step closer to achieving my dreams and succeeding on and off the field of competition."

Visa's athlete selection process is based on a variety of criteria including their personal journey to the Olympic or Paralympics Games, athletic achievements, dedication to developing their sports, and active community involvement.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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