BlazeSports Clubs Tampa Bay Brings Home the Hardware from NJDC

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BlazeSports Clubs Tampa Bay Brings Home the Hardware from NJDC Sponsored in part by CAF-Florida, nine athletes representing BlazeSports Clubs Tampa Bay recently competed in the 25th Annual National Junior Disability Championships at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. According to club Sports Coordinator and Coach Andy Chasanoff, the athletes were selected by virtue of meeting qualifying standards in their specific sport(s), including track & field, swimming and table tennis. Four athletes also competed in the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports (IWAS) competition, which was held simultaneously.

There were over 220 athletes from 30 states competing at the NJDC and over 200 athletes from 19 countries competing at IWAS. At the NJDC, Blaze athletes Kenjy Asin, Valerie Baker, Catalina Bustamante, Emily Clarke, Carissa Gore, Heather Haynie, Scarlett Lawhorne, Joshua Melendez, and Kristen Messer all won medals and helped BlazeSports bring home a total of 68 medals, including 46 gold, 15 silver, and 7 bronze while setting 9 national records! At the IWAS competition, Valerie Baker won 4 medals (2 gold, 2 silver) in swimming, Heather Haynie won 3 medals (2 gold, 1 silver) in field, Kristen Messer won 2 gold medals in track and Kenjy Asin won 1 silver medal ... more. less.

in field.<br><br> cBeing at the NJDC/IWAS event also provided our athletes with an opportunity to meet other athletes from around the country and the world, d added Chasanoff. cIn this way, our whole team won a gold medal! We also met several other athletes from the CAF family who were competing for the first time.<br><br> It is encouraging to see the CAF influence in assisting athletes (including ours) to compete at this event. d

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