Olympian Robby Andrews to Meet Fans at Manalapan Library Oct. 23

Manalapan, NJ - Manalapan’s own Olympian Robby Andrews and paralympian Robert Griswold will be at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters on Sunday, Oct 23 to meet fans and sign autographs. The library is at 125 Symmes Drive in Manalapan. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors for the events will open at 12:30 p.m.

Andrews, 25, is a well-known name around Manalapan Township: This former Manalapan track star and New Jersey running legend competed in the Brazil 2016 summer Olympics. He attended Manalapan High, but graduated from Freehold Township High School and then went on to the University of Virginia. Competing at the collegiate level, Robby became a NCAA champion and track and field star known for his trademark “Big Kick." On Oct. 23, he will meet visitors and sign autographs.

Griswold, who entered his first Paralympics this year as the world record holder in the 200-meter back stroke, is a 2015 graduate of Freehold Township High School.

Also invited to the Oct 23 Salute, together with their families, are Olympians Connor Jaeger, Monica Aksamit and Ajee Wilson, all Monmouth County residents. Jaeger, a 2010 graduate of Rumson Fair Haven High School and a 2014 graduate of the University of Michigan, won a silver medal in the men’s 1500-meter freestyle in the Brazil 2016 Olympics (his second). Aksamit, who lives in Matawan and teaches fencing at St. John Vianney High School, was part of the four-person US women’s fencing team that took home bronze from Brazil. A graduate of Matawan Regional High School, she was a three-time All-American for the Penn State fencing team.

There will also be demonstrations and information on gymnastics presented by professionals from the Monmouth Gymnastics Academy of Morganville, the academy where silver medalist Laurie Hernandez trains. Hernandez, who hails from Old Bridge, was part of the US gold medal gymnastics team, contributing to the 121 medals the United States brought home from Brazil this year. Demonstrations and interactions with the gymnastics team will be in the children’s library at the Symmes Drive library headquarters beginning at 1:30 p.m.

And Tim McLoone who will present a concert at 2 p.m. The concert and program are free and open to the public with no advance reservations necessary.

Robby Andrews' background:

He was born in Long Island before his parents moved the family to Manalapan, where he was raised, attended Manalapan High School and trained with his dad, Robert Andrews. And running, literally, runs in the Andrews family: His mother, Mary Perrotta Andrews, was an Advance All-Star runner at Moore Catholic and his dad was a New Dorp High School champion and former coach at Curtis High School. His sister, Kristin, took top honors in the annual Staten Island three-mile Marli Run, following in her dad’s footsteps from many years previous. The entire Andrews family will be there on Oct. 23.

Andrews studied at the University of Virginia for two years, then left to pursue a professional career in track and field, and was named two-time NCAA champion in the 800 meter indoor competition in 2010, and outdoor run in 2011 as well as taking the bronze in the 800 in the 2010 IAFF World Junior Championships. He then returned to UVA to complete his degree, earning an undergraduate degree in kinesiology.