CityWalk Festival Honors Olympians

Although no starting gun was fired, the first Olympic Street Festival at CityWalk began Friday with a figurative bang--including a song, inspiring words from city dignitaries, a torch-lighting ceremony with former Olympian Mark Spitz and a release of doves.

The weekend-long event is billed as a multimedia celebration of Olympians past, present and future.

The emphasis is on future, judging from the opening ceremony, which was attended by 400 students from the stay-in-school program Cities in Schools.

Addressing the youngsters, Olympic marathoner Alberto Salazar emphasized school first and sports second.

“I’m challenging all of you to study hard, get an education . . . and go to college,” he said.

Later, youngsters hailing from places as far-flung as Pacoima and Long Beach tried out Olympic equipment for events ranging from basketball to the gymnastic rings.

Beatrice Esqueda, 16, a student at San Fernando High, said the opening ceremonies were inspiring.

“Seeing the athletes makes me want to get out there and do something: stay in school, go to college,” she said.

The giddy youngsters were treated to free shoes from sponsor LA Gear. Chantrell Nealon, 8, a student at Sylmar’s Hubbard Street Elementary School, proudly displayed hers--black high-tops with fat black laces.

They will come in handy for cheerleading, she said.

Funds raised at the festival from a memorabilia auction and merchandise sales will benefit the 1996 U.S. Olympic team and a track and field academy--open to aspiring athletes across Los Angeles--to be built at Birmingham High School in Van Nuys.

Watching gleeful kids scurry around the festival, collecting Olympians’ autographs on their T-shirts, David Baxter of the U.S. Fencing Assn. had to smile.

“Whenever kids get exposed to sports, I get very excited,” he said. “For me, sports has given everything good in my life.”

The festival, which is free and open to the public, runs from noon to 6 p.m. today and Sunday at Universal CityWalk.