OTC resident should contend in judo

A Paralympic newcomer, Myles Porter isn't afraid of high expectations.

"I only know the words to one national anthem," he said. "I want to be able to sing it."
The Olympic Training Center resident, who is the third legally blind American to earn a national judo ranking among sighted competitors, hopes to use his vocal chords today at the Summer Paralympics in Beijing.

Most consider Porter, 22, a contender in the 220.5-pound division because of his experience against able-bodied athletes, such as Olympian Ryan Reser, an OTC resident. More than 90 percent of his fights have been against sighted competitors.

"That's kind of a confidence-booster," said Porter, who can't drive but walked on the University of Toledo football team. "A lot of guys don't get that."

Porter said the gold medalist "might not be the most technical guy. It might not be the strongest guy. It's the guy with the most conditioning, the guy that can last into the fifth minute and keep going. ... With my experience, it's definitely realistic."

Metzgar takes third

Colorado Springs resident Chris Metzgar placed third Aug. 31 in the 132-pound division of the USA Judo Fall Classic National Championships ladder tournament in Spokane, Wash. The tournament featured players without senior-elite status.

Grimm, Walters excel

Colorado Springs residents Heidi Grimm and Terri Walters competed Aug. 31 at the Long Distance Triathlon World Championships in Almere, Holland. Grimm finished the 2.5-mile swim, 75-mile bike and 18.6-mile run in 7 hours, 8 minutes, 37 seconds for 15th in women's elite and Walters (7:29:46) took third among 40- to 44-year-old women.

Springs skaters in action

Five Colorado Springs figure skaters will begin competition Thursday at a Junior Grand Prix in Mexico City. The group includes Alexe Gilles and pairs Brynn Carman and Chris Knierim, and Brittany Chase and Andrew Speroff.

Krimsky awaits ruling

Filings are due Friday in Danbury (Conn.) Superior Court on a probation request for child pornography charges by John F. Krimsky Jr., the former marketing director of the U.S. Olympic Committee. Krimsky has been free on $50,000 bond since his December arrest.


Figure skating icon dies

Former U.S. Figure Skating president Oscar Iobst, 85, died Aug. 30 in Colorado Springs. Iobst served as the president from 1980 to 1983 and as interim executive director from 1992 to 1993.