Geannette Wittendorf

For Special Olympians, the Games must go on! In opposition of cancellations brought on by COVID-19 , some Special Olympics chapters are going digital with the first-ever Virtual Summer Games. When the International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially announced that Tokyo 2020 was at risk of being cancelled -- fans and Olympians were certainly disappointed. For Special Olympians, similar news was more than just disappointing -- the news was devastating. Mona Hjerpe, head coach of the Hutchinson, Minnesota Special Olympics chapter, explained the difficulty Special Olympians are facing. “...they miss the social aspect, just to be able to give each other a hug,” said Hjerpe . In an effort to brighten the spirits of Special Olympians, the organization is going digital with the 2020 Virtual Summer Games. Participants who have been active in their chapter of Special Olympics throughout the past year are eligible -- and encouraged -- to take part in the Games. Athletes are welcome to ...

Needless to say, the Coronavirus pandemic (also known as COVID-19) is shaking up everyone’s way of life at this time. This week, Olympians and fans of the Olympics learned that Tokyo 2020 is no exception to the pandemic’s devastation. It’s a sad day for fans of the Olympic Games. On Monday, March 23, 2020, International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Dick Pound told USA Today that the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo “probably won’t happen.” With shutdowns going into effect around the globe, it is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic is to blame for this announcement. IOC, however, has yet to release an official statement regarding postponement of the Games. This news is a devastating blow to Olympians and fans of the Olympics alike. A whopping 1 million spectators attended the 2018 Winter Olympics. This was a surprising feat for the Winter Games, which often fall behind in attendance when compared to the Summer Olympics. With this number in mind, it is clear why postponement i...

Tokyo 2020 is already looking to be quite the thrilling series of events! Olympics fan, Geannette Wittendorf discusses the five new sports set to debut at the summer games. According to many Olympics fans -- including Geannette Wittendorf -- the Olympic Games have been long overdue for a shake up! When Japan welcomes the world to Tokyo for the 2020 Summer Olympics, they’ll also be introducing new sports to the mix. According to the official Olympic Games Committee, the new sporting events are being introduced to keep pace with currently popular athletic activities. The five new sports coming to the Olympics at Tokyo 2020 are Karate, Skateboarding, Baseball/Softball, Karate, Surfing and Sport Climbing. Karate For some fans of the Olympics, the debut of karate at the Games feels long overdue. Many other martial arts have been thriving at the Olympics for decades already. Karate will now join the ranks of judo, boxing, wrestling and tae kwon do. Finally, martial artists...

As a major fan of the Olympic games, Geannette Wittendorf can’t wait to cheer on her favorite athletes at Tokyo 2020.  Recently, it was announced that tickets for the games will go on sale May 9, 2019.  But here’s the catch: only Japanese residents will be able to purchase tickets. It’s an interesting part of the Olympics that people often overlook.  Tickets are initially sold only to residents of the host country. Even then, tickets are purchased in a lottery.  But don’t fret, there’s still a chance for you to attend the 2020 Summer Olympics! But there’s a catch: it’s going to cost you quite a pretty penny.  You’ll have to be willing to burn a hole in your wallet if you want to snag tickets at resale prices. Now, you’re probably thinking:   resale?  Isn’t that dangerous?  No one wants to be scammed!  And when the tickets are marked up by more than 20%, this isn’t exactly something you want to play around with.  That’s why...