8 U.S. Athletes Win Medals At World Games

Eight U.S. athletes won medals in respective events at the 8th World Games, July 23-26, in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Ten athletes representing USA Water Ski participated in the multi-sport event that is held every four years and features sports not currently in the Olympics. Water skiing, barefoot water skiing and wakeboarding all were featured as part of this year's events. The International Water Ski Federation selected the athletes, who competed solely for individual overall medals, based on world rankings and availability.

U.S. athletes competing in the event were: Caroline Hensley (Hixson, Tenn.), Olivia McDonald (Fayetteville, N.C.) and Storm Selsor (Fremont, Calif.), three-event water skiing; Adin Daneker (Olympia, Wash.), Elaine Heller (Alma Center, Wis.), Shannon Heller (Alma Center, Wis.) and Keith St. Onge (Winter Haven, Fla.), barefoot water skiing; and Andrew Adkison (Windermere, Fla.), Dallas Friday (Orlando, Fla.) and Raimi Merritt (Lantana, Fla.), wakeboarding.

Adkison, Friday, Elaine Heller and St. Onge all won gold medals in respective events. Adkison won the gold medal in men's wakeboarding, tallying 87 points; Friday won the gold medal in women's wakeboarding, scoring 76.8 points; Heller won the gold medal in women's barefooting, scoring 2,073.38 overall points; and St. Onge won the gold medal in men's barefooting, tallying 2,869.40 overall points.