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PrintColumbia- When Mitch Canote was in kindergarten, he couldn’t run and play soccer because of his asthma. This weekend not only was he running, but he was one of the fastest in his age group in the Show-Me State Games’ track competition Saturday at Walton Stadium.
Canote, 14, has been running for just three years, but participated for the first time in the games this weekend.
- Runners of all ages get a good start on Sunday at Show-Me State Games Race Walk. The runners and walkers ran a 5k around downtown and ended at Faurot Field.
- A participant in the Show-Me State Games race walk clutches his winning medal on Sunday at Faurot Field.
- Gail Menke celebrates a good bowl at the Show-Me State Games doubles bowling event on Sunday.
- Gail Menke, left, and Kathy Goeggel, team members for Show-Me State Games doubles bowling, give each other encouragement between frames. The two have been bowling together for more than 10 years as part of the City Diners team in St. Louis.
- Gail Menke, left, and Kathy Goeggel, team members for Show-Me State Games doubles bowling, give each other encouragement between frames. The two have been bowling together for more than 10 years as part of the City Diners team in St. Louis.
“I thought I’d try something harder,” Canote said. “The competition is tougher than most of the other meets I go to.”
Even though Canote has asthma, he says that it doesn’t really affect him because he isn’t a distance runner. His parents also said that having asthma doesn’t affect his ability to train for upcoming meets.
In order to help prepare for the games, he attended a track camp hosted by the MU track team.
“The camp was challenging,” his mother, Annette Canote, said. “We’re just hoping all that hard work is going to pay off.”
After finishing second in the 100 and 200-meter dashes and third in the triple jump to win three medals, Mitch Canote says it has.
“It really means a lot to me,” he said. “I’m going to show them off to the high school coach.”
Although winning a medal is important to Canote, he said just being a part of the festivities is fun.
“It’s an amazing experience,” he said. “It’s awesome to get to compete against other people my age from all around the state.”
His father, Dennis Canote agreed.
“It’s so thrilling to see him be able to compete at a place like this,” he said. “It’s really fun.”
For Canote, his next test will come this school year. The level of competition will elevate as he begins high school at Southern Boone. He said he plans to continue running track and hopes that someday he will be back at Walton Stadium competing for the Tigers.
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