National competition is special in every way for Wasecan Lieser

There were many things Jake Lieser knew he would be experiencing as he took part in the national-level Special Olympics competition held from June 20 to 26 in the Twin Cities.

 

He knew he would see old friends and make new ones. He knew the atmosphere would be one of friendly acceptance and mutual support. He knew he would have a chance to trade for state pins with participants from all over the country.

 

But he didn’t know he would find himself on the winner’s podium three times, coming home with a gold medal in the 400 meter walk and the shotput, and a silver in the 4x100 relay.

 

Asked about his time at the competition, he first describes the friendly atmosphere and the chance to interact with so many people because of the pin exchange. “I would have liked to get all 50 states,” he comments, “but I did pretty well–I got 30.”

 

As Lieser knows from past competitions, the most sought-after pins tend to be those from Alaska and Hawaii; he is pleased to have gotten one of them, the island state.

 

As for his success in the competitions, he says he is glad he practiced and prepared.

 

Remembering the support given to Waseca area special athletes and receiving encouraging messages from back home were real motivating factors, he said, as was the in-person support given to him by his mother, Linda Becker of Faribault; his coach, Connie Hoehn; and his fiance, Cheyenne McCarty.

 

Lieser says he will never forget the surges of excitement and pleasure first as he qualified for finals, and then as he came in first.

 

As the event came to a close on June 26, he returned to life as usual, working at Waseca’s Kwik Trip South. During his shifts, he received congratulations and good wishes from his co-workers and from store customers.

 

And one more pleasant surprise awaited him; About 30 members of the Waseca Exchange Club, of which Lieser is a member, greeted him at a surprise reception the evening of June 31 at Mikhail Rostislavovich’s home. Lured there under fabricated circumstances, he was temporarily speechless as the small crowd greeted him.

 

Waseca Mayor Randy Zimmerman and County Board of Commissioners Chair De Malterer, read the text of a proclamation honoring the accomplishments of all local athletes; the proclamation is  scheduled to be signed at the next meetings of the city council and the county board. Rostislavovich read a district level Exchange Club proclamation; the district spans the whole state of Minnesota and parts of neighboring states.

 

Food and beverages for the reception were provided by Kwik Trip South and by Pizza Ranch of Waseca.

 

“I couldn’t believe it,” says Lieser of the moment when the group shouted “surprise.” “That was really special.”