SPORTS NOTES : Gold Medalist De La Hoya Becomes a Media Star

Olympic boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya has been busy since returning from Barcelona.

The 19-year-old from East Los Angeles, who won the Olympic gold medal in the lightweight division last month, was among athletes touted by President Bush at the White House. In Los Angeles, he has been on radio and television shows, has been besieged with requests for newspaper and magazine interviews, and was honored by the City Council.

De La Hoya, a Garfield High School graduate, was the only U.S. boxer to win a gold medal in Barcelona. He provided one of the most emotional moments of the Games by dancing around the ring with a U.S. flag in one hand and a Mexican flag in the other after beating Germany’s Marco Rudolph in the final bout.

Next for De La Hoya is a professional career.

Former Dodger star Manny Mota awarded scholarships to five area high school students last month through his newly founded international youth charity called the Manny Mota International Foundation.

Several Dodger players and coaches will participate at two baseball clinics in East Los Angeles. The first clinic will be held on Sept. 12 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Hollenbeck Youth Center in Boyle Heights. The second one will be Sept. 25 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Berendo Junior High School. The clinics are free and are open to all interested youths.