Photo By Sgt. Trevon Peracca | Corps Trials opening ceremony, at the Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton track, Feb. 16....... read more read more
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CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - The Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment kicked off the 2012 Marine Corps Trials with an opening ceremony Feb. 16, at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif.
More than 300 wounded, ill or injured Marines, Marine veterans and international service members will participate in the second annual Marine Corps Trials Feb. 16-21.
“Our Marine Corps Trials are both clinical and competition,” said Col. Jay J. Krail, the Wounded Warrior Regiment executive officer. “Everyone here will receive world-class coaching over the next week.”
Several notable volunteer coaches are devoting their time and expertise with the athletes, including Olympic Gold medalist swimmer, Sheila Taormina, Olympic triathlete, Victor Plata, and nationally-ranked, University of Oregon track and field thrower, Brittany Hinchcliffe.
The Paralympic-style competition will include individual and team events in sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball, swimming, cycling, shooting, archery, and track and field. Four teams – East, West, Veteran and International, will go head to head for team gold. The international team has military athletes from seven nations, including the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia, Germany, Colombia and the Netherlands.
“Camp Pendleton is privileged to host the Trials for the second year, and we’re proud of the role that we’ve played in not only these games, but in preparation of our veterans and Marine team for the Warrior Games that will be held later this year in Colorado Springs, Colo.,” said Col. Nicholas F. Marano, the base commanding officer.
The regiment will select 50 Marines, veteran and active, as members of the All-Marine team for the Warrior Games, a competition between all branches of services in Colorado Springs, Colo., early May.
“The veterans and Marines last year went on to win the most medals in Colorado with the fewest number of athletes, clearly living up to the Marine Corps motto of ‘the few, the proud,’” Marano said.
Cpl. Manuel Jimenez, from New Britain, Conn., is participating in the trials for the second year. The 23-year-old competed in track last year and will compete in swimming, track and sitting volleyball this year. Jimenez, an above-elbow amputee, advises first time competitors to enjoy the trials and continue to be athletic.
“If you don’t leave this year with something, come back next year and show those guys what you’ve learned,” Jimenez said. “The sky’s the limit. Don’t give up on yourself. If you have the fire that lights inside you as all Marines do, you can accomplish anything you want.”
The Trials brings together allies and friends from the field of battle where they fought and bled together, to the field of fitness in Southern California.
“We fight together,” Krail said. “We fight oppression. We fight radical, fanatic evil, perverted beliefs. We fight drug cartels together. We fight fascism. We fight for right and we fight for freedom.”
Krail said off the battlefield, these athletes fight personal battles, fighting limitations and amputations, to see when their eyes fail, to move when their bodies are tired.
“Our bodies get better,” Krail said. “Our minds get better. We win. ‘Etiam in Pugna.’ Still in the fight. We will always be, still in the fight, cause we are warriors.”
| Date Taken: | 02.16.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 02.17.2012 20:09 |
| Story ID: | 84032 |
| Location: | CAMP PENDLETON, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 515 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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