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YK Delta Athletes Make Fine Showing Opening Day At Native Youth Olympics

Johanna Eurich
/
KYUK

Yesterday athletes from the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta made a fine showing on the opening day of the Native Youth Olympics in Anchorage.

 

The first win from the region came in the first event -- the kneel jump, where competitors sit, kneeling on the ground barefoot, and jump forward from the knees to land on their feet.  Those who cover the most ground and pin the landing,  win.

In the boys' competition,  Wilton Alciq Charles, a 17-year-old from Toksook Bay,  took home the gold medal with an impressive 64 and-a-half inch leap forward.

 

Afterward his feet were rubbed raw.

 

"I was just pushing myself to where my skin peeled off from my feet. And my feet are burning right now. Yeah, a lot of hard work," said Charles.

 

This was Charles' first time competing in the statewide Native Youth Olympics, but he has been doing the kneel jump since he was in the third grade. He credits his win tp the coaching he received from Mark Kasilulie.

 

"How you jump. That's what he helped me with. But with all the back muscles, I worked hard for that. Even the core muscles I had  to get that on my own. And I just had to work real hard," said Charles.

 

To strengthen his core and back muscles, Charles would do lots of crunches on a slant board... basically doing sit-ups up-hill.

 

On the girls' side of the gym,  Ariana Smith, a Bethel Warrior,  took second with a jump of  46 and-a-quarter inches.

 

The games continue through Saturday. Today's students in the Native Youth Olympics will compete in the Eskimo stick pull, the scissor broad jump, the one-hand reach, and the two-foot high kick.

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