Becher selected to compete in Australia

Hot Springs County High School senior Ethan Becher has been selected by Down Under Sports to represent Wyoming on the 2019 track and field team in Queensland, Australia July 6-15. The program also includes competition in football, cheer, cross country, golf, basketball, volleyball and soccer.

Becher, who will leave for the games on July 6, said he was first contacted abut being on the team during football season but he wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to do it because he tore his knee at the time. He’s since healed up and is getting back into running again.

Becher started running track in sixth grade, and has been running for Thermopolis since seventh grade. He enjoys hurdles, and plans to compete in the 300 hurdles and 110 hurdles in Australia. He further noted Down Under Sports wants to put together some relay teams with students from all across the country.

In addition to those from the United States and Australia, competitors from Switzerland will also be competing. Becher said this is an opportunity he might never have again and he’s grateful for it.

High school track coach Aimee Kay said Becher is someone who’s not afraid to work hard even if he’s injured, and she’s excited for him to have the opportunity to run in Australia.

Down Under Sports was founded in February 1989 based upon the dream of New Zealander George O’Scanlon, who fell in love with athletics, especially American football (gridiron) as a young man growing up in his native country of New Zealand. His desire over the years has been to promote gridiron, not only to the people of New Zealand, but also to Australia where he lived for many years.

O’Scanlon started the Down Under Bowl which eventually led to the establishment of the Down Under Hoops Classic and the Down Under International Games. The Down Under Sports programs use the common language of sports to bridge the continents and provide a forum for athletes from around the globe to compete head-to-head in the sport they love.

During the past thirty years, Down Under Sports has had the opportunity to share the land down under with tens of thousands of individuals from across the United States. Some prior standouts of the Down Under Bowl include Jake “The Snake” Plummer of the Denver Broncos, Ahman Green of the Green Bay Packers, Rob Morris of the Indianapolis Colts, Dave Dixon of the Minnesota Vikings and Jesse Williams of the Seattle Seahawks.