Athletes can still register for State Games with 30 days to go

In 30 days, one of America's most unusual and most diverse sports events will unfold in Colorado Springs, with several thousand athletes competing in 31 sports at 22 venues, and bringing with them from 40 states some of the most interesting achievements and stories in sport.

It's the 2009 State Games of America, July 30-Aug. 2, the nation's largest multisport event for athletes of all ages and skill levels, and as many as 10,000 athletes- elite, senior, masters, prep state champions, NCAA collegiate athletes and Olympic hopefuls, will be in the city which is the home of the U.S. Olympic Committee to test their skills and go for medals.

Main venues include the Colorado Springs World Arena, the Air Force Academy, the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Fort Carson and Colorado College.

It's the third time that Colorado Springs and the Colorado Springs Sports Corp. has hosted the signature event of the National Congress of State Games. A record 10,803 athletes came to the city in 2007, breaking the old mark of 9,482 for the 2005 Games in Colorado Springs. The 2011 event is ticketed for San Diego.

Athletes can register to compete at: www.stategames.org.

The Opening Ceremony, sponsored by AT&T, gets under way at the Colorado Springs World Arena on July 30. Olympic freestyle wrestling gold medalist Henry Cejudo will cap off a torch run that begins that afternoon at the U.S. Olympic Training Center when he lights the Games' official flame at the arena. Also on hand will be Gov. Bill Ritter to welcome the athletes.

Opening Ceremony Tickets ($10/$5) at: www.ticketswest.com. Or 866-464-2626. Every athlete who will compete gets to march in the Parade of Athletes by states during the evening, just like the Olympic Games procession of the nations.

Prominent State Games alumni include NBA star Kobe Bryant of the Lakers, Olympic Greco Roman gold medalist Jeff Blatnick, Olympic long jump champion Ralph Boston, baseball pitching star Mike Mussina, Olympic swimming champion Tracy Caulkins, Olympic track and field champions Hayes Jones and Diane Dixon, Hall of Fame wrestler Dan Gable, gold medal swimmer Rowdy Gaines, boxer Roy Jones, figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, basketball stars Spencer Haywood, Danny Manning, Rick Hamilton and Chris Mullin, and two-time Olympic shooting gold medalist Lones Wigger, Jr., among thousands.