As we update our extensive Gay Games photo galleries, check out our latest: Athletes and their medals.
This Swedish runner was one of the stars of the track and field sprints.
Gallery: Gay Games jocks and their medals
White House official wins Gay Games gold
The 2010 Gay Games in Cologne received virtually no mainstream media coverage, but Ed O’Keefe of the Washington Post’s “Federal Eye” column has a nice item on the participation by Kei Koizumi, who handles budgetary and policy issues in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
Koizumi, 41, won a gold medal in men’s 40-44 110-meter hurdles and a silver in the triple jump.
Continue reading →
Gay Games announce Olympic outreach
The Federation of Gay Games has announced a new initiative called OASIS: Out Olympic Athlete Solidarity Inspiration & Support. The program is designed to offer financial support for openly gay Olympic athletes.
FGG officer of marketing Doug Litwin, one of the driving forces behind the program, said he hopes they can raise enough money and awareness to help elite gay athletes come out of the closet and compete in the Olympics. He said the impetus came in 2008 upon hearing that Matthew Mitcham’s partner was having trouble raising the money to get to the Beijing Games. Continue reading →
Notes: Soccer, women, track, straights
About 700 people showed up to watch the men’s A-division soccer finals, which saw Stonewall FC beat United FC, 2-1. Stonewall scored the go-ahead goal in the 81st minute. Team Cologne beat Team Italia, 5-0, for the bronze. And team Argentina beat Jet City in the finals of the B division, 3-0.
I was surprised by the lack of American women at the event. Only about a third of all the competitors were female; And only a small percentage of those were from the U.S. Continue reading →
Disqualifications at swimming
There were a slew of disqualifications in swimming, and some American athletes were surprised when the disqualifications were being announced over the P.A. system. It was a little jarring to hear the announcer say, “And we have another disqualification in the X heat of the Y race,” and tell the crowd who it was and what they did wrong. Most of the disqualifications were for illegal touches (rules mandate a swimmer finish some races touching the wall with both hands) and false starts (there is no second chance at IGLA races).
One swimmer was disqualified for wearing a Neoprene suit, which has been outlawed. There was also one disqualification for competing in more than three relays.
Former collegiate athletes at Gay Games
There was no shortage of former collegiate athletes at the Gay Games in Cologne. Former collegiate lacrosse goalie Andrew Goldstein took home gold with the Toronto hockey team. Robbie Martin, the former Loyola University volleyball player whom Outsports profiled a couple years ago, played with the London AA volleyball team; Also at volleyball was Fred Early (right), who played at the University of Cincinnati in the 1980s, and who played pro volleyball in Europe.
There were many others, too many for us to easily quantify. So if you’re a former collegiate athlete, tell us how you did here.
Gay Games Cologne gets an ‘A’ grade
All I needed to know about my feelings on Gay Games VIII came on the last day. Most of the athletes had already left, and I headed to the soccer and basketball finals. Neumarkt was empty. The train was empty. Melancholy swept over me. The thought of this incredible event ending was several days before a far-off consideration, something I didn’t have to think about; Now it was staring me in the face. A couple tears drained into my eyes as I took that last train ride to the final events of the Games.
The Gay Games offers something you cannot find at an HRC dinner or a GLAAD Awards show. Those events have wonderful aspects of their own, but the Gay Games is something special that a dinner and drinks simply can’t provide. There is a camaraderie at the Gay Games that is hard to find in other corners of the gay community. Walking through Rudolfplatz or down Pfielstrasse, the standoffish attitudes that dominate so many gay neighborhoods and events are a world away. Smiles replace blank stares. Continue reading →
San Francisco Rock Dogs take baskeball gold
The San Francisco Rockdogs beat the Long Beach Rebels for the gold medal of the men’s basketball A-division at Gay Games VIII, 68-56. San Francisco’s C. Johnson led all scorers with 19 points.
The Rockdogs were in control for much of the game with some athletic drives to the basket and break-away steals. The turning point in the game came when the Rebels received two technical fouls and one personal foul on the same play. The Rockdogs got six consecutive technical free throws; Though they only made one of them, they also got the ball back, made that basket, and the Rebels’ energy seemed to drain after that. The Rebels did cut the deficit to 7 points with back-to-back 3-pointers late in the fourth quarter, but the Rock Dogs responded with two quick baskets that iced the game. Continue reading →
Video: Soccer match goes to 11th penalty kicks
The 11th-place game in the men’s soccer B Division was what has to be the longest match in the history of the Gay Games. The San Francisco Spikes 2 and Cologne team were tied, 0-0, through regulation. They were tied at the end of the first overtime and at the end of the second overtime. They were tied after the penalty kicks. So they went to extra penalty kicks, and it was only when they got to the 11th players — the goalies — that the tie was finally broken. Watch the video here:
QUAC attack, family ties, German drivers
The champs.
The Queer Utah Aquatics Club of Salt Lake City, or QUAC, stormed to the open division gold in water polo by dominating the Melbourne Storm, 11-5, in the gold medal game Friday. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer team. (gallery below).
Melbourne came into the game unbeaten and winners of a 9-7 match against QUAC in pool play. But coach Tom Taylor told me beforehand that the team had learned from the loss and put some wrinkles into the game plan. The result was a quick 4-1 lead that had Melbourne flustered. The Storm did not keep its composure and committed a lot of fouls and even allowed a goal on a penalty shot. Continue reading →
Some major injuries and hospital visits
Sadly, there have been a couple major injuries at the Gay Games. During the 5k race on Thursday an unnamed 58-year-old man suffered an apparent heart attack and had to be taken to the hospital.
On Sunday, Hector Torres (right), 32, suffered a crash on his bicycle during the Triathlon and had to be taken to the hospital. Torres, 32, had a loaded schedule planned for the Games. He was to participate in the Olympic triathlon, the 10K run, the 5K run, the 26.2-mile marathon, and also three cycling events (criterium, mountain bike and time trial.) Torres is the head coach for Tri Peak Athlete, LLC and the Central Florida YMCA. Torres competed in the marathon at the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago.
Ross Forman contributed to this report.
Basketball groundhog day: US winning, refs suck
The report from basketball isn’t surprising: The American teams, particularly in the A Division, are dominating; And the referees suck.
First, the Americans. Heading into the elimination round of the A Division, the Rock Dogs are undefeated at 7-0, having beaten everyone else in the division. The next two teams are the other American teams: Long Beach Rebels and the team from the Washington DC area. After that comes everyone else; None of the American teams lost to any of the non-American teams in the round robin. Continue reading →
