Right now, as we speak (well as I type & you read) 17 SO athletes are competing at the 2014 USA Games in Princeton, NJ. The games are held once every four years and it is such an accomplishment to be chosen to compete. Our athletes are competing with other athletes all over the country and have already done some incredible things. The games officially started on Monday and will continue through Friday (June 20). This week is actually not so bad since I get to sit at a computer all day and look through pictures. The only downfall to that is that the 2014 USA Games page has over 5000 pictures just in the Opening Ceremonies page. Believe it or not, The Big Show from WWE was a part of the Opening Ceremonies as well as Jane Lynch. WWE is one of the sponsors for the USA Games. There was a bunch of other famous people who did some kinda of something at the Opening Ceremonies but I have no idea who their names are.
You know how they say everything is better in Kansas? Well, it’s true. We birthed the now 2014 power lifting champion, Chevi “The Manimal” Peters. Chevi won gold, two silver, and bronze medals in power lifting already! Another athlete, Morgan Dias won gold in the 1500M and 800M. We were really close to having another athlete win gold in the 1500 but his score was disqualified since his final run was 25% or more better than his preliminary score. When I heard that this morning, I was completely mortified and heartbroken that someone’s skanky politics could take away a dream like that. I literally wanted to cry right then and there.
Eric Kling, Gladys Figeroa, and Trevor Hallman. Each of these athletes participated in aquatics and place in the finals. Kling inĀ 4th place swimming the 25YD Backstroke in 28.68 sec, Figeroa in 5th place at 34.13 sec, and Hallman in 2nd place at 20.01 sec. Congratulation to these wonderful athletes! #TeamKansas
Chris Leon holding his flowers after winning 3rd place in the 1500M. His time was 9 min, 3.04 sec. Congratulations Chris! #TeamKansas
Our ultimate powerlifting champion Chevi Peters. Chevi placed; 3rd in the male bench press with a score of 47.50, 2nd in the male squat scoring 92.50, second in male combo, and first in deadlift with a score of 132.71. Congratulations Chevi on such an accomplishment. #TeamKansas is so proud of you!
Our soccer team defeated Team New York twice and are now 3-1!
Morgan Dias (middle) won gold in the 800 M with a time of 9 min, 15.40 sec. Go Morgan! #TeamKansas.
The lighting of the cauldron during the Opening Ceremonies in Princeton, NJ.
In other news, my first press release is public! It was pretty hard adjusting to the style of writing here but it gets easier. Hopefully there will be more to come! Check out the link below!
http://ksso.org/_uploads/files/press/2014_hall_of_fame.pdf