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Year #14 1999

Armwrestling, Fencing & Triathlon were added to the list of Big Sky State Games sports this year upping the sport count to 28. Armwrestling offered divisions for both men and women. Fencing featured three Olympic style events: foil, sabre, and epee. The Triathlon consisted of a 600-meter swim,15-kilometer bike ride, and a 15-kilometer run.             

Olympic Gold Medal Gymnast Trent Dimas kicked off the games with the lighting of the torch. Dimas won the gold medal in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics with a seemingly effortless performance on the high bar. Dimas was joined by Olympic Bobsled hopeful Jean Racine who delivered the athlete oath.

The oldest participant in the Big Sky State Games was Bert Lee who, at age 86, competed in the bowling competition. The youngest participant of the Games was 2-year-old James Freeman who took part in electronic darts. Another dazzling athlete was 85- year- old Alfred Funk who set 2 track & field age group records with a time of 3:38.8 in the 800m and 7:12.0 in the1500m.

The Big Sky State Games named Flora Wong, a swimmer from Helena, as the Female Athlete of the Year, along with athlete Tom Raunig, a road racer from Missoula, as the Big Sky State Games Male Athlete of the Year.

The Inaugural State Games of America took place in St. Louis, bringing medal winners from numerous State Games across America together in competition. 51 athletes represented Montana in the State Games of America. Track & Field gold medal athletes included Gary Schneider of Livingston who threw discus and Charles Jannings a pole-vaulter from Billings. Major Robinson from Missoula walked away with 2 gold medals in swimming along with Billings residents Tyrone Morgan, Jody Koschel and Terrill Bracken who won 2 gold medals in the TaeKwonDo competition. We would like to congratulate all of the Big Sky State Games athletes who represented Montana and participated in the State Games of America.

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