The BOLTS Bring THUNDER to the PRESIDENT’S OPEN!

     It would be the first time that an Empire State Liberty Tour Track & Field Series event would be contested outside of a 50 mile radius from the Capital District Region of New York.  There were certainly going to be several New Teams that had NEVER participated in a Liberty Tour Track & Field Series event!  One such Team would be the Norwich YMCA Bolts, alias “The BOLTS”!

      The start time for the President’s Open was 10:00 am, and the forecast was NOT Good all week with the typical “Gloom & Doom” by meteorologists!  The Thunder rolled and the Lightning Bolts were quick and plentiful!  After about 30 minutes of this Power Storm, the rain subsided, the temperatures warmed, and eventually the Sun came out to dry things up a bit.  However, for the more than 10 Track & Field Teams that entered the President’s Open, The Bolts still kept on coming!  They were on the Track, at the Long Jump Pit, the Shot Put Circle, and at the Discus Cage!  They were in Elementary School, High School, College, and even Experienced Athletes (code for Master’s Athletes)!  Everywhere one looked there were Bolts to be seen, including Vanessa Salerno (Pictured Above), who took 1st Place in the Senior Scholastic Girl’s Long Jump with a leap of 4.12m.

       As the saying goes, “at the end of the day”, there was little surprise that “The Bolts” had accumulated 203 points, providing a thunderous conclusion to their 1st Place Finish at the President’s Open.  “Our Bolts team had a positive environment in which to excel, and they were very happy that they did so well.”, exclaimed Head Track & Field Coach for the Norwich YMCA Bolts, Shannon Gawronski, who is also the Track & Field Sports Chair for the Empire State Sports Council.  She continued, “I am thankful, and pleased, to be a part of this fantastic organization (ES Sports), for providing such opportunities as the Liberty Tour Track & Field Series, for Athletes of ALL ages to experience the same excitement as the Bolts did at the President’s Open!”

      For additional photos from the President’s Open, just scroll down and click on the Thumbnail to enlarge the photo, and to read the caption.  For all of the Results from the President’s Open, click on “RESULTS” from the navigation bar, then Click on “President’s Open”.  For the updated Records for the President’s Open or the Liberty Tour, Click on “RECORDS” from the navigation bar, and select the meet for which you would like to view the Records.

      Next up on the Liberty Tour Track & Field Series calendar is the Adirondack District Championships.  This meet offers the Combined Events on Friday, June 17th beginning at 5:00 pm, and the Full Meet on Saturday, June 18th at Taconic Hills High School, and it will begin at 10:00 am.  Be sure to note that the Adirondack District Championships are weighted in the scoring, which means that 1.5 points is awarded for each point scored!