JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The festivities surrounding the City of Jacksonville’s Christmas tree lighting took place on Wednesday, and News4JAX had live coverage from James Weldon Johnson Park, which included a special appearance from local Olympians Poe Pinson, Ryan Murphy, and Caeleb Dressel.
And obviously an appearance from Santa Claus.
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The tree was officially lit up around 6 p.m., but there’s no time like the present (no pun intended) to get to know a little bit about the Olympians who made an appearance and their ties to the Jacksonville area.
Poe Pinson
Pinson, a 19-year-old Fernandina Beach native, made a name for herself earlier this year after qualifying for a spot in the 2024 Olympic Games, marking her first Olympic appearance after missing out in 2020.
The skateboarder competed in Shanghai and Budapest before making her way over to Paris, where she finished in fifth place for Women’s skateboarding.
In August, the City of Fernandina Beach held a homecoming parade for the Olympian and even renamed a skate park in Main Beach Park after her.
Pinson attended the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee meeting on Aug. 13 to address the committee and share what the skate park means to her and why Northeast Florida natives like herself need a new skate complex.
“Skating has taught me so much, has brought me to so many different places, kept me out of trouble,” Pinson said.
Ryan Murphy
Jacksonville-area native Ryan Murphy, 29, who grew up in Ponte Vedra Beach and graduated from Bolles Prep School, has won five gold medals throughout his Olympic career.
He has gained notoriety as a swimmer for his backstroke, which he set an Olympic record for during the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Murphy’s appearance in Paris was his third consecutive Olympics. Following a sweep of the men’s backstroke events in 2016, he won a gold, silver, and bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
In October, the 9x Olympic medalist opened a swim school in the Jacksonville area, the Goldfish Swim School in Saint Johns, which became the franchise’s first location in Northeast Florida.
“My family is proud to own this new school to spread the importance of safe swimming and water safety in our hometown,” Murphy said. “I have led and observed countless swim lessons throughout my career, and the curriculum and culture that Goldfish Swim School offers is second to none.”
Caeleb Dressel
Dressel is a 10x Olympic medalist from Green Cove Springs in Clay County and graduated with seven national high school records in the county.
In November, it was announced that Dressel would make an appearance at the Green Cove Springs Christmas parade and would ride on a decorated float.
“We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Caeleb Dressel will be joining us for this year’s Christmas on Walnut Street event,” City Manager Steve Kennedy said. “Celebrating his remarkable achievements and acknowledging the incredible positive impact he’s had on both our community and the world is truly an honor. This year’s event promises to be unforgettable!”
While Dressel’s decorated career has seen plenty of peaks, particularly during the Tokyo Olympic Games, his performance in the 2024 Games left much to be desired as he failed to qualify for the final in the individual 200m backstroke and the 100m butterfly while also finishing sixth in the 50m freestyle.
Nonetheless, the 28-year-old standout swimmer will look to redeem himself when the Olympic Games move to the U.S. in 2028 while proving to be an important component of the U.S. Men’s relay team.
