WHITEWATER, Wisc., (SPECTRUM NEWS) — The national VA wheelchair games recently came to a close with quite a few Wisconsinites placing in their events.

 

The national wheelchair games had to turn virtual this year due to coronavirus. This means that participants had to record their event from home and send it in to be judged. LeToi Adams, an Army veteran from Whitewater says it was quite an adjustment but she wouldn’t miss the games for anything.

“It’s difficult to motivate myself but I am trying to be inspirational to someone else at home who is bored at home with just a little bit to do,” Adams says.

Adams is one of the top veterans competing in the wheelchair games across the US. She has been competing in the games since 2015 and says she is used to bringing home the gold in her events. However, this year she made her way to the podium in the games virtually, since the event was moved online

“Oh man, it was definitely something that you had to adapt to. It’s not as motivating as it is getting together with the other veterans and cheering each other on in each other's sport. I wasn’t really motivated to participate in the events but I wanted to try something new,” Adams says.

So outside of her apartment in Whitewater, she would bring out all of her gear and get to work. She says her partner would film her doing her events to be able to send them into the judges. This is a competition spanning to veterans across the US and she is a top competitor in her events.

This year she competed in a cross-fit style of competition where she had to move between stations and hit a certain amount of reps for time. She says it’s important to keep a good pace and never give up. This year she brought home the silver in her cross-fit event and she also got second place in wall ball with over 100 throws in just three minutes.

She says it can be tough to stay motivated during the competition, but her natural competitive spirit is what keeps her going.

“The longer I go, the more tired I get. In the beginning it’s not so tiring, by the end there is sweat in my eyeballs and I am wanting to stop— but that’s what I like; it pushes me to keep going, I can't stop, even if it hurts,” Adams says.

So although this year she is losing out on a crowd cheering her on, she says she is gaining mental toughness and a realization that she can do anything she puts her mind too.

Here is a full list of Wisconsin winners in this year's wheelchair games:

Air Rifle SH1 - Bronze: Ken Ness

Cascade Cup Women IV/V - Silver: LeToi Adams

30 Day Cycling Challenge 

Class IB/IC - Gold: Gary Stott 

Class IV/V - Gold: Ken Ness

Butler Cup Team Challenge - Silver

Disc Golf: Rose Ganz 

Shot Put: Rickey Riley & Derrick Trentin 

Wall Ball: LeToi Adams 

Fishing: Kaleb Wilson