Editorials

Catherine Liang, a UC Berkeley graduate student, struck gold at the Gay Games VI in Sydney, Australia last week. Liang was among the nine swimmers on Team Berkeley-Team Fuego, the Berkeley contingent that competed in the international games Nov. 2-9. 

Liang swam away with five gold medals and two silvers, with the Berkeley swim team tallying more than a dozen medals in total. 

“Winning the medals was definitely nice, but setting records for the Gay Games and for International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics (IGLA) was even more meaningful,” said Liang. “When I compete I am racing against my own times. I’m racing myself.” 

The Gay Games was founded in 1982 by the late Tom Waddell, an Olympic decathlete. He established a competitive forum for gay men and women who felt otherwise marginalized by athletics. 

“It’s been a long personal journey for everyone competing, and not in the sense of traveling to Sydney, just to participate in the games is so meaningful,” said Liang. 

The founding principle of the Gay Games is inscribed on Liang’s gold medal: “Inclusion, Participation, and Pursuit of one’s best.”  

In addition to sporting events, the games offers cultural and social activities. Liang described a reunion with her partner from Switzerland: “That was a personal highlight, it was like a date.” 

The quadrennial Gay Games originated in San Francisco and was featured there in 1982 and 1986. In 1990, the celebration moved to Vancouver, B.C. and hosted 7,500 athletes in 23 sports, making it the world’s second largest multi-sport event. The Summer Olympics is the largest. 

In 1994, New York City hosted more than 10,000 athletes and an estimated one million participants in the cultural events. The 1998 games unfolded in Amsterdam. Liang was among the 15,000 participants and 250,000 spectators in attendance. 

This year, Sydney hosted more than 13,000 athletes from 82 countries in 31 sporting events. 

“I was competing against people from Canada, London, Australia, and Belgium. It was incredible,” said Liang, “I hope to attend the 2006 games in Montreal [July 29 through Aug. 5] with Berkeley again.” 

Johan Steiner, a UC Berkeley sports department employee and former UC Berkeley swimmer, won a gold medal in the Triathlon and a silver in the 400 meter individual medley. 

Steven Czekala won a gold medal in the 800 meter freestyle, setting the Gay Games and IGLA record. He also won a bronze in the 400 meter individual medley and was a member of the gold medal winning 400 meter freestyle relay. 

Linda Buchanan won gold in the 200 meter individual medley, setting the Gay Games and IGLA records. Melon Dash won silver in the 200 meter individual medley. Barbara Moosmann won gold in the 200 meter freestyle. 

Liang won individual golds in the 50 meter backstroke, 50 meter freestyle, 50 meter butterfly and 100 meter freestyle. She won an individual silver in the 100 meter butterfly, a gold in the 400 meter freestyle relay and a silver in the 200 meter freestyle relay. 

More information on the Gay Games VI Sydney 2002 can be found at 

www.sydney2002.org.au/.