Of the Olympics, Eli Bremer says, "I think I dreamed when I was young but it didn't really become realistic."  That dream is close to becoming reality. 

Bremer was born in New Hampshire and lived in Washington, D.C. for awhile, but his family moved to Monument, Colorado when he was three.  A swimmer and cross country runner at Lewis-Palmer High School, Eli became involved in Pentathlon while attending the Air Force Academy, just a few miles from his home.

Since graduation in 2000, and as part of the World Class Athletes Program, Bremer's become one of the hot names in a sport that most people don't understand.  But he's ready to explain Pentathlon.   

"In our sport we have a huge diversity of the skills required," says Bremer. "You need strength and endurance in swimming, you need endurance for running, but you need a mental focus in shooting and you need coordination in fencing and you also need to be able to deal with the unknown in riding because you don't take your own horse.

Athletes compete in shooting, fencing, swimming, riding and cross country all in the same day.  It is the only sport created for the modern Olympics and in the early days it had plenty of military overtones.  "Up until the 1950's you had to be a military officer to compete in the Olympics in Pentathlon. We have in the United States a very strong history of military success in the sport going back to 1912 when a young Lieutenant George Patton competed in the Olympics. Funny story there, he finished in fifth place at the Olympics because he actually missed the target on one of his shots. So one of the greatest generals of all-time wasn't such a good shot and it cost him the silver medal.

Considering his family background, Bremer just might be perfect for the sport. "I'm the dumb jock of my family, I like telling people," says Bremer.  "I went to the Air Force Academy, I have a Masters degree and when I finished my Masters degree I was talking to my wife one day and I said I'm the only person in my family who didn't go to an Ivy League school or doesn't go by the term 'Doctor.' So it's easy to stay humble in that family. 

Bremer's two brothers are military officers.  His dad, Duncan Bremer is a former County Commissioner who ran for congress in 2006.  And likely you've heard of his uncle, L. Paul Bremer, who served as the President's envoy to Iraq and administrator of the coalition's provisional authority. 

Bremer's uncle will almost certainly be in Beijing to watch as Eli goes for gold.  He was considered a medal favorite four years ago in Athens before breaking his foot.  He went to the games as a color commentator for NBC.  Thanks to a gold medal at the Pan Am Games last summer Eli has already qualified for Beijing and is considered a favorite to end the United States' 40-year medal drought in Pentathlon.  "I think that's going to be special, a special feeling, to look up from the floor and say I made it," said Bremer.  "I've been pursuing this for 20 years and now I finally made it.