By event photographer Joe Cascio:
It was out of the box with a bang yesterday morning as the competition kicked into full swing at the 32nd Empire State Games. You name it and the athletes were doing it – canoeing in Lake LaSalle, Boxing at the Flickinger Center downtown, ice hockey to pistol shooting & archery… intensity was in the air. You could see the steely look on faces and the anticipation that the moment was finally here.
I spent time primarily at the Track & Field events at the UB Stadium and down on the Black Rock Channel watching rowing to catch some local favorites in action.
At the track Kailyn Arcury, who will be a Junior at Williamsville South this coming year, ran away in her first qualifying heat in the 100m hurdles with a time for her which seems like coasting of 14.79 seconds, last year she ran a 14.0 and finished 2nd in the State Championships. All the best in your finals today Kailyn.
The Rowing competition was based out of the West Side Rowing Club facilities as the crews made their way up and down the Black Rock Channel, primarily into a stiff head wind. The 2 biggest races of the day were the Eight’s for both the men and the women. The Western Region fought for the chance to be in both finals and both teams won!
The Men from the Western Region beat the team from the Hudson Valley Region and the Western Women topped the team from the Adirondack Region.
Did you attend any of today’s events? Let us know.
