U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program

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Military unit

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[edit]

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[edit]

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

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  • 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[edit]

2022[edit]

During the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China five soldier-athletes represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXIV Olympiad.[4]

2020[edit]

During the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan twelve soldier-athletes represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXII Olympiad.[5]

  • Staff Sgt. Naomi Graham, Boxing
  • Staff Sgt. Sandra Uptagrafft, Shooting
  • 1st Lt. Amber English, Shooting
  • Staff Sgt. Nickolaus Mowrer, Shooting
  • Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Marks, Paralympic Swimming
  • Staff Sgt. Kevin Nguyen, Paralympic Shooting
  • Staff Sgt. John Joss, Paralympic Shooting
  • Sgt. Ildar Hafizov, Wrestling
  • Spc. Alejandro Sancho, Wrestling
  • Sgt. Amro Elgeziry, Modern Pentathlon
  • Sgt. Samantha Schultz, Modern Pentathlon
  • Spc. Benard Keter, Track and Field

2018[edit]

During the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea seven soldier-athletes represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXIII Olympiad.[6]

2016[edit]

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.[7]

as well as

2012[edit]

The program sent seven athletes and four coaches to the London 2012 Summer Olympics.[8]

  • Sergeant First Class Dremiel Byers, Greco-Roman wrestling, 120 kg
  • Sgt. 1st Class Keith Sanderson, rapid fire pistol
  • Sgt. 1st Class Daryl Szarenski, pistol
  • Staff Sgt. John Nunn, 50 km racewalk
  • Spc. Justin Lester, Greco-Roman wrestling, 66 kg
  • Sgt. Spenser Mango, Greco-Roman wrestling, 55 kg
  • Spc. Dennis Bowsher, Modern Pentathlon

2010[edit]

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.[9]

During the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games three soldier-athletes and one coach represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXI Olympiad.[10]

-10k Sprint[11]
-4-man USA Sled II Pilot
-4-man USA Sled II Brakeman[12]
  • SGT William Tavares (Team USA Bobsled Coach)

2008[edit]

During the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics two WCAP athletes and one coach represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXIX Olympiad:[13]

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

Other notable WCAP alumni[edit]

-2004 World Military Boxing Championships, gold medal (69-kg. weight class)[14]

References[edit]

Sources[edit]

External links[edit]

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