Triathlete Kirsten Kasper of Marietta took another step toward joining the 2016 U.S. Olympics team when she raised her hand, recited the Oath of Allegiance and became a naturalized U.S. citizen during a private ceremony in Atlanta.
Kasper, 23, who was born in Canada but has lived much of her life in the U.S., is now competing for a spot on the U.S. team in advance of the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.
“This is home to me,” said Kasper, a Georgetown University graduate who has been splitting time between her parents’ home in Marietta and a training site in Phoenix, Ariz. “And I wanted to take the next step and be able to represent the U.S. competing in the Olympics and be able to vote and become more than just a resident.”
Kasper was among more than 100 others from 57 countries who participated in citizenship ceremonies in Atlanta Wednesday. Ukrainian-Americans Natalia Milton of Powder Springs and Lyudmila Rudishina of Buford also became naturalized U.S. citizens. Year-long fighting between the Ukrainian military and Russian-backed separatists in their native country has claimed more than 6,000 lives and displaced more than 1.2 million people.
Saddened by the unrest in Ukraine, Milton thanked God for her U.S. citizenship.
“I love this country,” she said.
Like Milton, Rudishina wore a big grin the citizenship ceremony ended.
“My family is here. My kids have citizenship,” she said. “I’m very excited.”
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