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U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program

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U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program
World Class Athlete Program
Active1997 – present
Country United States of America
AllegianceUnited States
BranchUnited States Army
Part ofDepartment of Defense

Department of the Army
Installation Management Command

Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command
LocationFort Carson, Colorado
Nickname(s)WCAP
Commanders
CommanderCpt. Robert Cheseret
First Sergeant1st Sgt. Jose Santiago

The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) is a military unit whose primary mission is to support nationally and internationally ranked soldiers in participating on the U.S. Olympic team. The program is headquartered at Fort Carson, Colorado.[1]

Objectives

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According to the U.S. Army, WCAP provides active duty, National Guard and reserve soldiers the opportunity to train and compete at national and international sports competitions with the ultimate goal of selection to the U.S. Olympic team and U.S. Paralympic team, while maintaining a professional military career and promoting the U.S. Army.[1]

Selection

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Any soldier-athlete (Active Duty, National Guard, Reserve) may apply for selection provided:

  • Soldier is in good military standing
  • The sport the soldier is applying for is an Olympic sport
  • Soldier has completed Advanced Individual Training (enlisted) or Officer Basic Course (officer)
  • Soldier meets sport specific entry standards, which normally consists of attaining a high national ranking or being selected to a U.S. National Team for international competition[2][3]
  • WCAP is not a developmental program; it targets athletes who have achieved world class status in their sport
  • Army National Guard Outstanding Athlete Program, 2010 Winter Olympics.
    Army National Guard Outstanding Athlete Program, 2010 Winter Olympics.
  • U.S. Army's World Class Athlete Program, 2004 Summer Olympics.
    U.S. Army's World Class Athlete Program, 2004 Summer Olympics.
  • U.S. Army's World Class Athlete Program, 2004 Summer Olympics.
    U.S. Army's World Class Athlete Program, 2004 Summer Olympics.
  • 2009 U.S. National Boxing Championships.
    2009 U.S. National Boxing Championships.
  • Army World Class Athlete Program, 2010 World Team Trials for USA Wrestling.
    Army World Class Athlete Program, 2010 World Team Trials for USA Wrestling.
  • Army World Class Athlete Program Olympic biathlete Jeremy Teela practicing.
    Army World Class Athlete Program Olympic biathlete Jeremy Teela practicing.
  • U.S. Biathlon World Team Trials in Coleraine, Minnesota.
    U.S. Biathlon World Team Trials in Coleraine, Minnesota.
  • WCAP athletes sign autographs for fans, 2009 AUSA Conference.
    WCAP athletes sign autographs for fans, 2009 AUSA Conference.

WCAP Olympians

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2024

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During the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France five soldier-athletes represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXXIII Olympiad.[4]

A further three individuals partook in the 2024 Paralympic Games:

  • Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Marks, Swimming
  • Sgt. 1st Class John Wayne Joss III, Shooting
  • Staff Sgt. Kevin Nguyen, Shooting

2022

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During the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China five soldier-athletes represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXIV Olympiad.[5]

2020

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During the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan twelve soldier-athletes represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXXII Olympiad.[6]

2018

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During the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea seven soldier-athletes represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXIII Olympiad.[7]

2016

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Spc. Paul Chelimo of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program finishes runner-up to Mo Farah of Great Britain to claim the silver medal in the men's 5,000-meter run with a personal-best time of 13 minutes, 3.90 seconds at the Rio Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro

The program sent four Kenyan-born soldier-runners to compete at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.[8]

as well as

2012

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The program sent seven athletes and four coaches to the London 2012 Summer Olympics.[9]

2010

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Maj. Michael Anti (left), a marksman with the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program assigned to the U.S. Army Marskmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Ga., flashes his silver medal alongside gold medalist Zhanbo Jia of China (center) and bronze medalist Christian Planer (right) of Austria after completion of the men's 50-meter rifle three-position event in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games at Markopoulo Olympic Shooting Centre.[10]

During the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games three soldier-athletes and one coach represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXI Olympiad.[11]

-10k Sprint[12]
-4-man USA Sled II Pilot
-4-man USA Sled II Brakeman[13]
  • SGT William Tavares (Team USA Bobsled Coach)

2008

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During the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics two WCAP athletes and one coach represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXIX Olympiad:[14]

-50m Rifle Competition
-Heavyweight
-Rapid Fire Pistol competition
  • MAJ David Johnson (Team USA Shooting Coach)

Other notable WCAP alumni

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Boyd Melson (right)
-2004 World Military Boxing Championships, gold medal (69-kg. weight class)[15]
  • SSG Jenna Burkert- 2021 World bronze medalist, Olympic Alternate, 4x World Team member.[16]

References

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  1. ^ a b "U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program" Archived 2 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine. thearmywcap.com.
  2. ^ Army Regulation 215–1 Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Archived 11 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine. army.mil
  3. ^ "WCAP Entry Standards" Archived 2 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine. thearmywcap.com.
  4. ^ "10 soldiers will compete for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics". Army Times. 3 July 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Meet the Soldier-athletes competing at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games :: WCAP". www.armywcap.com. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  6. ^ Abreu • •, Danielle (26 July 2021). "From Defending Their Country to Representing It: These are the Armed Service Members Competing in Tokyo". NBC 7 San Diego. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  7. ^ Meet the 7 US Soldiers Going For Gold at the Winter Olympics Archived 12 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine, 'Task & Purpose', 8 February 2018.
  8. ^ 4 Kenyan-born U.S. Army runners represent their adopted country at Rio Games Archived 21 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Military Times
  9. ^ US Army sends off 7 athletes, 4 coaches to London Olympics[dead link], AP in Washington Post, 16 July 2012
  10. ^ "U.S. Army FMWRC Official Image Archive". Flickr.com. Archived from the original on 22 July 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  11. ^ "US Army Olympians". Goarmy.com. Archived from the original on 9 November 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  12. ^ "Teela sits out Olympic 20k Individual Biathlon". United States Army. 19 February 2010. Archived from the original on 7 December 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  13. ^ "Bobsledding Soldiers attention turns to Olympic four-man event". United States Army. 24 February 2010. Archived from the original on 7 December 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  14. ^ "Soldier-Olympians share tales with Army leaders". United States Army. 16 October 2008. Archived from the original on 25 July 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  15. ^ "Melson wins U.S. boxing quarterfinals". USA Today. 9 March 2006. Archived from the original on 9 April 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  16. ^ "Army wrestler wins first World Championship medal". DVIDS.

Sources

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