Out to win: ten U.S. athletes heading to Gay Games IV in Sydney talk about why they compete. (Gay Games VI Sydney, Australia)(Cover Story).[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]Caption: Ben Carrillo SPORT: Water polo water polo, swimming game encompassing features of soccer, football, basketball, and hockey. The object of the game is to maneuver, by head, feet, or hand, a leather-covered ball 27 to 28 in. ; his first Gay Games The Gay Games is the world's largest sporting and cultural event organized by LGBT athletes, artists, musicians, and others. Originally called the Gay Olympics, STATS: 25; animator and bartender; single; native of Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. ON THE GAMES: "It's great to be able to share being gay and also having the same interest in water polo. The team's awesome. I've never had such a fun experience playing with other gay guys. Every guy on the team is great." BEN WEARS HIS OWN EMBROIDERED em·broi·der v. em·broi·dered, em·broi·der·ing, em·broi·ders v.tr. 1. To ornament with needlework: embroider a pillow cover. 2. POLO CAP. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Joy Mendenhall SPORT: Water polo; her first Gay Games STATS: 26; teacher; partner to a Gay Games triathlete tri·ath·lete n. One who competes in a triathlon. ; native of Rensselaer, Ind. ON THE GAMES: "To me, it's making a statement that's bigger than just `Hi, I'm gay.' [It's] `Look at all these cultures that are able to come here--and different religions, different types of people--and we're converging on the same stage, and we're all getting along.' It's something that our world leaders For a list of heads of state, see . World leaders is a MMORPG. The game involves creating a state, joining an alliance and going into war. It is mostly played by players from Israel, China, USA, Britain, Brazil and Saudi-Arabia. need to maybe come over and take notice of." JOY WEARS HER OWN ADIDAS SWIMSUIT. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Melody Roth SPORT: Bodybuilding bodybuilding Developing of the physique through exercise and diet, often for competitive exhibition. Bodybuilding aims at displaying pronounced muscle tone and exaggerated muscle mass and definition for overall aesthetic effect. , her first Gay Games STATS: 41; personal trainer personal trainer person n → (persönlicher) Fitnesstrainer m, (persönliche) Fitnesstrainerin f ; "questionable" relationship status; resident of Long Beach, Calif. ON THE GAMES: "It's going to be the opportunity of a lifetime. I'm thrilled. I just love to compete. I like getting on stage. I like being in front of the camera. I like working hard and having people appreciate what I've worked for. [Knowing the games are coming up] gives me something to train toward. It's hard to explain the feeling of going through that process of getting your body fat down to 6%-7% and getting on stage. It's just a great feeling to know you can do that with your body. It's really cool." MELODY WEARS AN ADIDAS TOP AND SHORTS. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Jerry Shandrew SPORTS: Water polo, triathlon; gold medalist at two previous Gay Games STATS: 34; publicist; single; native of Visalia, Calif. ON THE GAMES: "It's fun to have an outlet for gay athletes within their own environment, and I love that they have a different twist on it. [I love] the Pink Flamingo drag swimming relay--people go all out, work for six months on their routines and their outfits. I've never participated in it, but I really like to watch." JERRY WEARS HIS OWN PEARL IZUMI TOP AND SHORTS. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Kurt Gering SPORTS: Swimming, triathlon; his first Gay Games STATS: 34; teacher; single but "dating someone"; native of Minneapolis ON THE GAMES: "I encourage my students to set high goals, then I like to be the role model for what I encourage them to do. I always pick something that seems almost impossible but is obtainable, then let them learn from my actions. My being on The Real World [dating cast member Chris Beckman] was also a very teachable teach·a·ble adj. 1. That can be taught: teachable skills. 2. Able and willing to learn: teachable youngsters. moment--for my students to see that gay people are really out there doing things that everyone else does." KURT WEARS HIS OWN ZOOT ZOOT Zelda: Ocarina of Time (video game) TRI-SUIT. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Lauri Stock SPORT: Track; her second Gay Games STATS: 45; criminal defense attorney; partner to Jenny Stary; native of St. Pete Beach, Fla. ON THE GAMES: "Before Amsterdam, Jenny tried to describe to me how much I was going to enjoy the games and how exciting and fun it was going to be, and she was right. Everywhere you went, people were so happy to see you and talk to you and have their pictures taken with you. It was like 10 days of being adored." Jenny Stary SPORT: Track and field; her fifth Gay Games STATS: 44; pharmaceutical company market researcher; partner for six years to Lauri Stock; native of Claremont, Calif. ON THE GAMES: "It's the most important thing in my life. [Having just come out before the 1986 games], I suddenly had a chance to do the thing that I had been training for, representing my nation for, standing up and being well received, and now I could do that for the gay community, and I just loved that." LAURI AND JENNY WEAR REEBOK Ree´bok` n. 1. (Zool.) The peele. TOPS AND SHORTS. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Carlos Vizcarra SPORT: Distance running; his second Gay Games STATS: 29: teacher; single; native of El Salvador ON THE GAMES: "I've always been sort of a solitary person to begin with, so [long-distance running] goes along with it. When you're running you're in your own little world. If you're having problems and you go out for two or three hours running, it just makes you forget about everything. Some people can't go the distance. I think I'm just programmed that way." CARLOS WEARS A YMLA YMLA Yucca Mountain License Application TOP FROM BEVERLY CENTER AND HIS OWN SUB4 SHORTS. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Jessica Seaton SPORT: Swimming; her fourth Gay Games (she was team doctor in 1990 and won gold medals in 1994 and 1998) STATS: Chiropractor chiropractor a practitioner in chiropractic. chiropractor A health professional trained in chiropractic; chiropractors do not perform surgery or prescribe drugs; of 50,000 licensed chiropractors in the US, many practice 'straight' chiropractic, ie ; 49; partner of 12 years to another Gay Games athlete; native of New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. ON THE GAMES: "I'm very excited about traveling to Sydney and competing in the fastest pool in the world. The Gay Games is one of the most moving experiences you can do." JESSICA WEARS HER OWN TYR Tyr: see Tiw. Tyr god of victory in war. [Norse Myth.: Leach, 1147] See : War SWIMSUIT. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Cyd Zeigler SPORT: Track; his first Gay Games STATS: 29; writer, founder of Outsports.com; single; native of Harwich, Mass. ON THE GAMES: "I haven't run any track since high school because I haven't had the opportunity. This is a chance to get back on the track and get back in the blocks. Starting in the blocks in sprinting, there's a little psychology to it. It's just you against seven other people, and there's only going to be one winner. I like that competition." CYD WEARS YMLA SHORTS FROM BEVERLY CENTER AND HIS OWN TOP. |
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