Opening Ceremonies
Date
Friday July 14, 2023Location
Wendy's Field at Daylis Stadium401 Grand Ave
Billings, MT 59102
Admission:
FreeFestivities kick off with SOAKED, a crazy fun two mile water walk/run through and around Pioneer Park. Other festivities include the Soaked Run, climbing wall, family entertainment and games, food trucks, Parade of Athletes, Montana Mile, and Torch Lighting. Admission is free for all ages. It's truly a night for the whole family!
The Ceremony officially begins at 7:00pm. The program includes Parade of Athletes (walk in the parade and receive a commemorative State Games gift), fun entertainment and interactive events, and the Men's and Women's Montana Mile (fastest milers in Montana), and traditional torch lighting by an Olympic athlete.
2023 Torchlighters
Willie Banks, Long Jump and Triple Jump: World Record Triple Jump Holder (1985-1995), Olympian (1980,1984,1988), Silver Medalist World Championships. Banks was inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1999. Banks now coaches young athletes all over the world in the triple jump event.
Gregg Simmons, Sprints: A very successful and well known speed and performance coach for elite, professional, collegiate, and young athletes for the past 30+ years.
Daniel Roberts, Hurdles: 2020 Olympian, Division I collegiate All-American, 2019 USATF Outdoor Champion, 2019 NCAA 2nd in 60 meter hurdles, first team All-American. Roberts participated in track at the University of Kentucky and his 110m hurdle time ranks him as one of the top two collegian in the United States of all time.
Erin Shean, High Jump: 2000 Olympian, four-time World Championship Finalist, Pan American Bronze Medalist. Shean also participated on the US Women's National Volleyball team and is a 7-time All-American competing in both sports for the Texas Longhorns.
Duncan Atwood, Javelin: 1980, 1984 Olympian, two-time winner of the Pan American Games 1979, 1987, World Cup Finalist and a one-time World Championship Finalist. He was a clinician at the Ironwood Throws Camp and currently is the assistant coach for Pacific Lutheran University.
Scott Huffman, Pole Vault: 1996 Olympian, two-time World Championship Finalist, three-time US National Champion. He competed at the University of Kansas. Huffman held the American pole vault record of 19’ 7” from 1994-2006. He is often most known for his vaulting technique, called the “Huffman Roll”.
Tripp Piperi, Shot Put: A promising Olympian prospect, two-time NCAA Champion and World Champion Finalist. He is a University of Texas alumni and now competes professionally for team USA.
