Caroline “Ping” Pingatore Holmes, team captain to the women’s 1968 Olympic Team in Mexico City, passed away in late February. A longtime contributor to the Olympic movement and a gymnastics athlete and coach, Pingatore dedicated her life to inspiring young people and helping them on their journeys as athletes.
Pingatore began gymnastics at age 13 years at the Downtown Seattle YMCA where she was coached by George Lewis. In 1968, she competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Long Beach, California, earning a spot as an alternate on the 1968 Olympic Team at the age of 17 and being named team captain. The women’s team went on to place sixth that year, marking the first top-10 finish at the Olympics for the U.S. women.
Following her athletic career, Pingatore coached gymnasts of all levels for 30 years and served as a delegate on the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee for over 25 years. She also founded the Washington State Olympics Alumni in 1977 and was president of the chapter for over 30 years. In 2002, Pingatore was inducted into the inaugural class of the Washington State Gymnastics Hall of Fame.