Olympic trial athlete and cancer survivor to speak Jan. 23
FREDONIA, N.Y. — January 16, 2008 — Adriane Blewitt, a cancer survivor and Olympic track and field trial competitor, will speak at SUNY Fredonia on Friday, Jan. 23 at 5:30 p.m. in Steele Hall. She will discuss overcoming serious health issues while she trained and competed for a spot on the U.S. Olympic track and field team.
Ms. Blewitt will be appearing on the eve of the annual Mary Phillips Invitational, hosted by the Fredonia Blue Devils track and field team on Saturday, Jan. 24. She is scheduled to compete during the invitational in the women’s shot put and weight throw in the indoor Steele Hall arena.
After graduating in 2003 from Ashland University, where she earned seven NCAA Division II national championships in the shot put, discus, and 20 pound weight throw, Blewitt was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer. Thus began her uphill battle to undergo cancer treatments and still pursue her dream of competing in the Olympics. She has since trained and qualified for both the 2004 and 2008 U.S. Track and Field Olympic trials in the shot put.
Her visit to Fredonia is sponsored by the SUNY Fredonia athletics department, Alumni Association, and track and field team. This event is free of charge and open to the public.
