While typically host to Flying Squirrels’ games, The Diamond played host to a different type of competition last Saturday: The Young Professionals Board’s Annual Corporate Truck Pull. Cheered on by Special Olympics athletes turned coaches for the event, teams of 10 tested their strength as they competed to see who could pull a firetruck 24 feet the fastest.
“It makes me happy to see all the other people out here doing nice stuff again,” athlete-coach Graham Wright, who recently won a gold medal in golf at the USA Games, said.
The event raised over $12,500 in support of the over 23,000 athletes across Virginia and was full of fundraising, competition, and fun. Team Markel defended their title and repeated as champions with a blazing time of 6.37 seconds.
Brian Beck, who plays golf, basketball, and softball with the Special Olympics, also participated as an athlete-coach. “Events like this are everything,” Beck said. “Events like this are so fun.”
Not only did Wright and Beck coach teams on with cheering and encouragement, but they also participated in the truck pull by helping teams haul the 30,000+ pound firetruck across the finish line.
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