Des Moines- Eight Hope Piranhas qualified to represent Team Arkansas at the Junior Olympics in Des Moines, Iowa recently. The 8 Hope Piranhas are: Carter Wilcox, Brixx Richardson, Korben Lemley, Michael Massanelli, Kylie Revels, Rory Richardson, Sadie Knoll, and Kase Lemley. Together the squad brought home 5 medals and ribbons for 9th, 12th, and two 13th places as well. The Piranhas wrangled in 110 points for team Arkansas, in which Arkansas finished in 4th place out of 30 teams. 

            Rory Richardson competed in the 200M Free-Style Relay and they finished 3rd. Medaling in a Junior Olympic event is challenging in itself, but medaling as a 5 yr-old while competing in the 8 & Under class is beyond impressive. Brixx Richardson medaled in the 50M Backstroke. Then in the 50M Breaststroke Michael Massanelli and Brixx Richardson both shaved a lot of time off of their best time of the year to both medal in this race. Massanelli claimed 4th and Richardson snagged 6th to claim his second medal of the week. Kase Lemley was on the 200M Freestyle Relay and his squad earned a spot on the podium claiming 8th place in the event. 

            It was a great season for the Hope Piranhas and there is a lot to look forward to from this Hope Piranhas program as they aim to take another trip next year to the Junior Olympics. I know the coaches are extremely proud of how these kids represented the great city of Hope and this great State of Arkansas.