POUGHKEEPSIE – 2017 Arlington High School graduate competed in his first Olympics in Milan this year at the age of 26. The short track speed skater competed in the 1000-meter qualifier on Tuesday, which earned him a spot in the quarterfinals on Thursday. His fifth-place finish was not fast enough to advance to the semi-finals.
On Saturday, friends, family, and former neighbors of DeClemente, who moved to Salt Lake City, Utah in 2019, gathered at Mahoney’s Pub in Poughkeepsie to cheer the 26-year-old on as he competed in the 1500-meter race. After leading a portion of the race, a late-lap crash resulted in a sixth-place finish and an overall ranking of 32nd among the world’s fastest skaters. His mom, Kristen, and his dad, along with his brother and sister, were at the Olympics to cheer for the full-time skater, while more than a dozen watched from Poughkeepsie.
Teresa Scanlon, a family friend who watched DeClemente grow up, spoke of the sacrifices the family made to allow their son to reach the top-level of short track speed skating. “I can’t describe how I feel watching him skate in the Olympics,” she said, adding, “Because I know of the sacrifices the family made to move Clayton to Salt Lake City in 2019.” The skater’s family has since relocated from Poughkeepsie to Arkansas for Mr. DeClemente’s career.
DeClemente’s great aunt, Diana Ferrara, wanted to travel overseas to cheer, but knee surgery kept her home. “I was in rehab the other day and after mentioning it, everyone in the facility was watching the race with me. Just to see him representing the US is so exciting. He’s a role model for so many.”
Scanlon also spoke of the skater’s demeanor. “He’s very humble and as a small man (5’5″), it is hard to find your place, but he’s the perfect example of how sports can help people find their way.”
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