Sports
Amazing Grace
Local trainer rediscovers passion for sports, training for Gay Games

Grace Thompson is training for the Gay Games this summer. (Photo courtesy Thompson)
While growing up in Washington, Grace Thompson competed in several sports including basketball, cross country and swimming. As is often the case, her schedule during her college years at Notre Dame of Maryland University left little time for sports.
After college, Thompson co-founded Embody Pure Fitness in D.C. and provides corporate wellness, nutrition counseling, small group training and personal training. It was through one of her clients that she rediscovered competitive sports.
“One of my clients asked if I would train her for a 5K run,” Thompson, a lesbian, says. “That led to a 10K and a 15K and shortly thereafter, I joined the D.C. Frontrunners.”
Since then, she has competed in everything from 5Ks to Ragnar Relays to a marathon. In 2011, she began competing in kettlebell competitions. Kettlebells are cast-iron weights that resemble a cannonball with a handle. The competitions have similarities to weightlifting.
At the World Kettlebell Lifting Championships in 2011, she placed first in the 12KG Long Cycle division. After sitting out 2012 because of a bike crash, she came back in 2013 to place second in the 14KG Long Cycle division.
This August, her love of running will take her to Cleveland for the 2014 Gay Games where she will compete in the marathon and either the 5K or 10K.
“I absolutely enjoy the energy I feel from running,” says Thompson, 30. “I love that I can train by myself or with a group of friends. It is so simple to just grab a pair of running shoes and go.”
Her training leading up to the Games will consist of two yoga sessions per week, weight lifting two days a week and running three times a week with her focus being on strength and endurance. Racing will be limited to the Pride Run 5K and possibly a half marathon in Atlantic City.
Earlier this year, Thompson experienced one of the new hazards in road running during the George Washington Parkway 10 Miler.
“A woman in front of me stopped dead in her tracks and was wearing headphones, so she didn’t realize I was behind her. I had to take a dive to avoid her and basically did a face-plant. She kept on running like nothing happened. I finished the race, but was a bloody, sweaty mess.”
For her first Gay Games experience, Thompson is looking forward to connecting with LGBT athletes from around the world and experiencing the level of competition and camaraderie.
“I can’t wait to meet fellow athletes who are in it for the sport of it. It’s going to be empowering.”
More than a dozen LGBTQ athletes won medals at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics that ended on Sunday.
Cayla Barnes, Hilary Knight, and Alex Carpenter are LGBTQ members of the U.S. women’s hockey team that won a gold medal after they defeated Canada in overtime. Knight the day before the Feb. 19 match proposed to her girlfriend, Brittany Bowe, an Olympic speed skater.
French ice dancer Guillaume Cizeron, who is gay, and his partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry won gold. American alpine skier Breezy Johnson, who is bisexual, won gold in the women’s downhill. Amber Glenn, who identifies as bisexual and pansexual, was part of the American figure skating team that won gold in the team event.
Swiss freestyle skier Mathilde Gremaud, who is in a relationship with Vali Höll, an Austrian mountain biker, won gold in women’s freeski slopestyle.
Bruce Mouat, who is the captain of the British curling team that won a silver medal, is gay. Six members of the Canadian women’s hockey team — Emily Clark, Erin Ambrose, Emerance Maschmeyer, Brianne Jenner, Laura Stacey, and Marie-Philip Poulin — that won silver are LGBTQ.
Swedish freestyle skier Sandra Naeslund, who is a lesbian, won a bronze medal in ski cross.
Belgian speed skater Tineke den Dulk, who is bisexual, was part of her country’s mixed 2000-meter relay that won bronze. Canadian ice dancer Paul Poirier, who is gay, and his partner, Piper Gilles, won bronze.
Laura Zimmermann, who is queer, is a member of the Swiss women’s hockey team that won bronze when they defeated Sweden.
Outsports.com notes all of the LGBTQ Olympians who competed at the games and who medaled.
Sports
US wins Olympic gold medal in women’s hockey
Team captain Hilary Knight proposed to girlfriend on Wednesday
The U.S. women’s hockey team on Thursday won a gold medal at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Team USA defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime. The game took place a day after Team USA captain Hilary Knight proposed to her girlfriend, Brittany Bowe, an Olympic speed skater.
Cayla Barnes and Alex Carpenter — Knight’s teammates — are also LGBTQ. They are among the more than 40 openly LGBTQ athletes who are competing in the games.
The Olympics will end on Sunday.
Sports
Attitude! French ice dancers nail ‘Vogue’ routine
Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry strike a pose in memorable Olympics performance
Madonna’s presence is being felt at the Olympic Games in Italy.
Guillaume Cizeron and his rhythm ice dancing partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry of France performed a flawless skate to Madonna’s “Vogue” and “Rescue Me” on Monday.
The duo scored an impressive 90.18 for their effort, the best score of the night.
“We’ve been working hard the whole season to get over 90, so it was nice to see the score on the screen,” Fournier Beaudry told Olympics.com. “But first of all, just coming out off the ice, we were very happy about what we delivered and the pleasure we had out there. With the energy of the crowd, it was really amazing.”
Watch the routine on YouTube here.
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