Olympian Clay at donated exercise park
Olympic gold-medal decathlete Bryan Clay will celebrate the opening of the exercise park created in his honor at 10 a.m. Oct. 26.
The Bryan Clay Outdoor Exercise Park is located on Diamond Head Road across from Kapiolani Community College along the Fort Ruger Pathway and adjacent to the Diamond Head Crater entrance. The free exercise park is dedicated to the 2008 Olympic gold medalist and Castle High graduate and is a gift from fitness center pioneer Clark Hatch through the Diamond Head State Monument Foundation.
Rotary Club to honor Keaulana, Napoleon
Richard "Buffalo" Keaulana and Joseph "Nappy" Napoleon Jr., two of Hawaii’s legendary watermen, will be honored at the Rotary Club of West Honolulu at its 57th David Malo Award banquet Nov. 8 at the Hale Koa Hotel.
Keaulana was a world champion surfer and body surfer. In 1977, he established the long-running Buffalo’s Big Board Surfing Classic, a longboard contest at Makaha Beach.
Napoleon has paddled every Molokai Hoe, the men’s outrigger canoe race from Molokai to Oahu, since 1958 when he was 17. His crews have won the event six times.
Both men are inductees in the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame and Hawaii Waterman Hall of Fame.
The David Malo Award is presented to a Native Hawaiian for outstanding contributions in promotion and understanding and appreciation of Hawaiian culture.
The banquet begins at 6 p.m. with a no-host cocktails followed dinner and awards program. The cost is $75 per individual with sponsor tables of 10 available for $800.
For information, contact Dr. Stanley Wong at 955-3522 or WDA88@jno.com. Reservations deadline is Oct. 31.
AFL all-star game at Blaisdell
The Arena Football League launches its AFL-China expansion program with a Nov. 2 all-star game at Blaisdell Arena.
AFL Hall of Fame inductee Clint Dolezel will coach the East and Kevin Guy, who led the Arizona Rattlers to several championships of the indoor pro league, will coach the West. Kickoff is 4 p.m.
The day includes at "FanFest" starting at 10 a.m. and a pre-game concert featuring Jasmine Trias and Jordis Unga at 1:30 p.m.
Tickets are available at the Blaisdell box office, Ticketmaster outlets and Ticketmaster.com.
8 gymnasts at national training center
Eight gymnasts from Hawaiian Island Twisters competed last weekend at the USA Gymnastics National Opportunity Program (TOPS) in Huntsville, Texas.
Scarlette Ayakawa, Cayla-Ann Cabanban, Kalyxta Gamiao, Jasmine Higa, Kamryn Horiuchi, Ela Mulligan, Kacie Shimizu, and Ashlyn Takai are vying to qualify for 20 spots in the 8-10 age group. Those selected will be invited to train with former U.S. Olympic coach Bella Karolyi and his wife, Marta, the current USAG national team coordinator and the USA national team coaches, in December.
The results from last week’s competition will be announced later this month.
Receiving special recognition at regional testing was Caris Baker, 7, who earned the national "Diamond Level" Team achievement status, the highest possible for 7-year-olds. Only gymnasts ages 8-10 are eligible to travel to the national training camps.
Hawaii Lacrosse Tournament coming up
More than 40 teams and 2,000 players from Hawaii, Japan Canada and the U.S. mainland are expected to compete in next week’s 23rd Hawaii Lacrosse Tournament at Kapiolani Park.
Play is in three men’s divisions: elite, masters and grand masters. There is one division for women: elite.
Games begin at 1 p.m. Friday. Saturday’s schedule includes a tournament blessing at 8:15 a.m. and games from 9 a.m. through 4 p.m.
Also on Saturday will be an exhibition game featuring Hawaii high school players from the Aloha Youth Lacrosse Association against Major League Lacrosse pro players, including Justin Pennington of the Denver Outlaws and Max Sibald of the Long Island (N.Y.) Lizards.
Sunday’s play starts at 9 a.m. with the men’s grand masters final at 11:30 a.m. The women’s final is at 12:30 p.m. followed by the men’s masters final at 1:30 p.m. and men’s elite final at 2:45 p.m.
