Former Husky Joyce Ardies Carries Olympic Torch
August 05, 2016 | Women's Tennis
Former Washington women's tennis player Joyce Ardies received a once in a lifetime opportunity this past week when she carried the Olympic Torch as it made its way to Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
"The feeling was incredible," said Ardies. "I had butterflies in my stomach every time I realized I wasn't dreaming and I was actually going to carry the torch on the way to the Olympic Games in my country."
Ardies, who hails from Sao Paulo, Brazil, was a member of the Huskies from 2006 to 2010 and sits in the top-10 for both career singles and doubles wins at Washington. A two-time Pac-12 All-Academic team member and winner of the 2010 Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship, Ardies capped off her career as a Husky by setting a school record for doubles wins in a single season with 27. During her senior year she captained the Dawgs to their third straight NCAA Championship appearance and finished the season ranked 25th in the country in doubles with current assistant coach Denise Dy after going 22-10 on the season.
Three years ago Ardies moved from Seattle back to her home country after she was given the opportunity to work for the Brazilian Olympic Committee. Working with the International Operations Team she has been providing help to Brazilian athletes during the recent South American Games in Santiago, Chile, the Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China, the Pan-American Games in Toronto, Canada, the Youth Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway and now the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
"I was proud, I was happy and I was, more than anything else, carrying it with all best wishes to a great games," said Ardies. "We all trained and now it's time to make it happen, we are ready."
The 2016 Summer Olympics begin tonight, August 5th with the opening ceremony and will conclude on August 21st.
