Geannette Wittendorf

Geannette Wittendorf is a proud supporter and fan of the Olympics. She is incredibly inspired by the courageous efforts of Olympian Gabriele Grunewald, who isn’t letting her battle with cancer keep her from running to victory. The Olympic games are always full of inspiration.  The victories, the ups and downs and the energy of the atmosphere is powerful enough to grip spectators in a motivational way.  What’s even more inspiring than the actual events are the incredible athletes who compete. Their backstories are often awe-inspiring, with many Olympians having overcome adversity in amazing ways.  In particular, Team USA’s middle-distance runner, Gabriele “Gabe” Grunewald is an Olympian with a tremendous story of perseverance. In 2009, Gabriele Grunewald was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary gland.  In 2010, with treatment for the condition under her belt, she crossed the 2010 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships finish...

As a German-American, Geannette Wittendorf finds herself supporting both Team USA and Germany at the Olympic Games. It makes matters just a bit more exciting! Following two teams of incredible athletes is quite a fun journey. Wittendorf enjoys researching highlights of past Olympic games. Recently, she discovered an incredible young athlete who won a Gold medal for USA at only 13 years old: Marjorie Gestring. Marjorie Gestring is revered as one of the youngest Olympians to ever win a Gold medal. At just 13 years and 268 days old, she competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics, which were hosted in Berlin, Germany. This was an incredible historical feat which made her, at the time, the youngest person ever to win an Olympic Gold medal -- in any event! Gestring was a competitive springboard diver with an impressive career for someone so young. After winning Gold in Berlin, she continued to claim victories at national competitions across the United States. For two consecutive ...