Oklahoma City rowers hope Olympic experience isn't once-in-a-lifetime event

“It was an absurdly large number of spectators,” Peszek said.

Newell and Prendes are members the U.S. men's lightweight four crew that finished eighth in London.

Peszek and Silas Stafford, who also train in Oklahoma City, placed eighth in the men's pair.

“It was incredible to be in that spotlight, just having that moment of fame, even if it was just for like a week or so,” Prendes said.

Newell, a 2011 graduate of Harvard, and Prendes, a 2011 graduate of Princeton, both moved to Oklahoma City because the Oklahoma River is an Olympic training site.

“Robin and I are a little spoiled in that we showed up a year out of college and trained for the Olympics and made it,” Newell said. “We were very lucky to have that timing.”

Peszek, a native of Michigan, was one of the first athletes to move to Oklahoma City after the Boathouse District was built.

All three will be competing Saturday in the Head of the Oklahoma regatta on the Oklahoma River.

Also attending Saturday's regatta festival to sign autographs will be Caryn Davies and Esther Lofgren, two members of the U.S. women's eight crew that captured the gold medal in London.

The gold medal-winning American crew was treated like rock stars in London, Newell said.