Grandfather Mountain

July 13, 2021. The Grandfather Mountain Highland Games has a reputation for inviting select professional athletes to come and enter in to its slate of time-honored competitions, but this year, John Van Beuren, called the games to ask if he could participate on his own accord. Based on Saturday, July 10’s results, this approach worked out pretty well for him. Beuren finished first overall in the men’s heavy athletics competition, winning the open stone, lightweight for distance, hammer and weight over bar categories, while placing well in the heavyweight for distance, the caber toss and sheaf toss. Even though it was only his second outing as a pro, Van Beuren showed out during his first trip to Grandfather Mountain. His only other experience as a professional came in 2018 when he competed at a Highland Games in Idaho and has since quickly learned the ins-and-outs of what it means to be a pro. “There’s no set way (to become a pro). You just have to know the numbers that people post on their throws, and you have to make sure your numbers are pretty close,” he said. “And you really have to know people. I didn’t really know anybody, but I knew who the athletic director was, and I called him, said I was free to come, and fortunately he had a spot open.”

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July 13, 2021. In just over a span of five years, the women’s heavy athletic division at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games has grown from a group of three dedicated competitors to now attracting more than a dozen professional athletes form the across the country to participate in the weekend’s slate of ancient competitions. Leading this group during the Elite women’s category on Saturday, July 10, was Elissa Van Vleck, a first-grade teacher from Fort Worth, Texas, who finished first overall after stringing together dominant performances in the 28-pound toss and the lightweight throw for distance. Vleck previously won the GMHG in 2019, making her the back-to-back champion after the games were postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A prominent track and field athlete who specialized in shot put, discus and javelin while attending Aurora University in Chicago, Vleck began competing in Highland Games at the recommendation of her college coach. “When I found another passion and tried to be a runner with five kids, that did not go well,” Vleck said. “So then my university coach told me to try the Highland Games, and I was like, ‘I don’t know what that is,’ but he gave me one practice, shoved me out the door, and said ‘Good luck.’”

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July 13, 2021. Two Boone residents took their track and field careers to new heights at the 2021 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. Patrick Freeman and Casey Meinert, both seniors at Appalachian State University, were named Outstanding Athletes of the track and field competition at this year’s Highland Games. Freeman competed at the Games in 2019, but 2021 marked Meinert’s first year doing so. “It was a ton of fun,” she said. “I absolutely loved it.” “It’s the most fun track event I’ve been to,” Freeman added. A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Freeman is currently studying geography at Appalachian State and hopes to become a wildlands firefighter after graduation. Meinert hails from Stafford, Va., and is studying nutrition and dietetics at Appalachian. Following graduation, she plans to pursue a master’s degree and a career in pediatric nutrition.

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July 9, 2021. During the 26th annual running of The Bear, Grandfather Mountain’s breathtaking views took on a literal meaning as more than 800 runners ascended 1,568 feet over the span of five miles to mark the return of the iconic race, following a hiatus due to COVID-19. Yet, first-place finisher Josh Izewski appeared to breathe easy shortly after finishing the endeavor with a time of 31:50.7. “It’s an awesome race,” Izewski said. “It’s great that they were able to put it on. They do a great job, and I’m excited to be able to come out here.” Izewski, a professional runner who lives in Blowing Rock, carried on the tradition of endurance athletes with ZAP Fitness finishing the race among the top competitors. Izewski said that it was his first time running The Bear and that he trained for the mountain’s steep grade by running the hills up to the Moses Cone Manor at the Bass Lake just 10 and a half miles away.

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