A number of Alaska athletes competed within the Particular Olympic Global Summer season Video games in Berlin, Germany this month. Eagle River resident Bobby Hill took house a gold medal and 3 silvers in quite a lot of weightlifting occasions.
Hill has been doing Particular Olympics for greater than 30 years. He says coaching for more than one occasions manner maintaining his power. Whilst he likes incomes medals, he says he appreciates assembly different athletes extra.
“It’s nice, and truly superior,” Hill mentioned. “However I love being with my pals.”
Hill earned a gold medal in bench press, lifting 70 kilograms – or 154 kilos. He took silver in squat, deadlift and mixture lifting as smartly.
Hill’s father, Bobby Sr, says his son has all the time cherished sports activities and began competing within the Particular Olympics when he was once 8. Along with the accolades, Bobby Sr. says competing in powerlifting has helped his son are living a more fit lifestyles.
“With the Down syndrome, younger adults… they generally tend, I feel, to devour an excessive amount of and acquire weight, the place the powerlifting has truly helped him deal with his being in form,” he mentioned. “And his nutrition and his weight has truly settled down and gotten decrease.”
This isn’t Hill’s first time on the Global Summer season Video games. He competed in Dublin, Eire in 2003 and Shanghai, China in 2007.
Hill wasn’t the one Alaskan to polish at this Summer season Video games. Palmer resident Gretchen Iciness were given 4th position within the 1500-meter run.
“Bobby and Gretchen have represented Alaska and the USA with delight,” mentioned Particular Olympics Alaska Intervening time CEO, Sarah Arts. “Observing Gretchen struggle thru an harm, by no means giving up, was once extremely inspiring. And Bobby rose to the instance, lifting greater than his body weight in all 3 of his lifts.”
Wesley Early covers municipal politics and Anchorage lifestyles for Alaska Public Media. Succeed in him at wearly@alaskapublic.org
