Team USA Athletes Cleared Alamitos Beach
Olympic athletes and volunteers collected marine debris at the site of future 2028 competition.
Updated on Sept. 19, 2026 in Swimming
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Team USA athletes joined hundreds of volunteers at Alamitos Beach on Saturday to remove trash deposited by recent storms. The cleanup effort was part of the annual International Coastal Cleanup.
Why it matters
The event was organized to address the impact of recent storms that left significant marine debris in Long Beach. It also highlighted the condition of a key venue scheduled for competition during the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Since 1986, the International Coastal Cleanup has mobilized 20 million volunteers across 100 countries to remove 400 million pounds of trash. Volunteers in Long Beach contributed to this total during a three-hour window on Saturday.
The players
Anita Alvarez
She is a professional artistic swimmer who represented Team USA at the event.
John Moffett
He is an athlete who participated in the coastal cleanup at Alamitos Beach.
Rex Richardson
He is the current Mayor of Long Beach who attended the cleanup event.
The details
Hundreds of volunteers worked alongside athletes to collect and document debris to support ongoing plastic pollution research. The effort at Alamitos Beach served as a local contribution to the broader, worldwide cleanup initiative that occurs every September.
Timeline
The International Coastal Cleanup program began in 1986.
The cleanup event took place from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
Olympic and Paralympic competition is scheduled for the site in 2028.
Season Trajectory
This event integrates the site into the sustainability narrative ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. By involving athletes in venue maintenance, the city establishes a standard for ecological preparation long before the first competition begins.
The participation of Olympians in the cleanup effort raises the profile of Alamitos Beach as a central hub for the 2028 Games. Residents and visitors can expect continued focus on venue maintenance at this location leading up to the start of the Olympic competition.
The takeaway
Large-scale community events help prepare public infrastructure for major international athletic competitions. Residents can contribute to environmental health by documenting findings during local cleanup efforts.
Further reading
Learn more about local aquatic initiatives on our Swimming page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KTLA 5.
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