Dillingham’s Wassily carries off win at Native Youth Olympics

MATT NEVALA

May 02, 2008 at 10:12AM AKST

In the aftermath of his record-setting performance from the 2008 Native Youth Olympics’ opening day, Dillingham High sophomore Michael Wassily chose not to dwell on the past.

He focused squarely on the future and the prospect of besting his memorable feat in the wrist carry.

"I plan on beating the record, I’m thinking I’ve got to get to at least 700 (feet)," Wassily said.

Wassily, 16, kicked off three days of competition at Anchorage’s Sullivan Arena on Thursday night, April 24, by crushing the previous NYO wrist-carry record. Wassily muscled up and dangled continuously around the Sullivan floor from a 48-inch stick carried by teammates Cody Meryfield and Matthew Askoak. Wassily traveled 606 feet, 7 inches, besting the previous record by more than 15 feet.

Like all NYO events, the wrist carry pays tribute to Native Alaskans’ culture. According to NYO officials, the wrist carry showcases the significance of a successful hunt, the strength and endurance of hunters and appreciation for the animal giving its life.

Nome’s Lenny Booshu finished second to Wassily with a wrist carry of 551 feet, 4 inches.

Wassily didn’t know he would bring a record-setting game to Anchorage. He said nerves began setting in early on in the competition.

"My stomach, it was just full of butterflies," Wassily said. "I started thinking about the (NYO) record and got a little scared.

"(The wrist carry) doesn’t hurt that much until afterwards when everything starts to get numb."

Wassily didn’t compete during Friday’s second day of events. But he was still an active celebrity as he walked around the arena.

"Everyone has been coming up to me offering congratulations, telling me I’m the record breaker," Wassily said.

Wassily rested and watched during day two of NYO, which began with the Eskimo stick pull, a game that also serves as practice for pulling seals out of ice.

Two competitors sit on a mat across from one another with the soles of their feet touching. A stick, 20 inches long and 1.25 inches in diameter, is placed above their toes. Each athlete grips the stick so their palms are facing the floor and essentially tries to pull the stick or opponent towards him or her.

"You just want to get a good grip and hang on," said Jaxon Wassillie, a 15-year-old competitor from Bristol Bay’s NYO team. "It’s all about the grip."

The athlete who wins two of three rounds is declared the match winner, and a double-elimination bracket is used for the competition. Boy and girl athletes started the event split into multiple groups spread up and down the Sullivan floor.

Eskimo stick pull rounds seldom last longer than 10 seconds and most end sooner. A mob of spectators surrounded each mat Friday and regularly screamed "pull, pull, pull" in the direction of their preferred competitor. The athletes generally grimace and wince in pain for the duration of each round.

"It’s all up to the kids," Bristol Bay coach Leslie Nashookpuk said. "They have to have the heart to be in the game. All we can do is encourage them."

The large field of Eskimo stick-pull athletes battled until the final five boys and final five girls were sent to each end of the floor to settle matters. Wasilla’s Kris Firey won the boys’ title, and Anchorage’s Brittany Efrid won the girls’ championship.

Morgan Fox, a 15-year old from Port Heiden competing for King Salmon and the Lake and Peninsula School District team, finished second to Firey in the boys’ competition. He gladly accepted his second-place medal as he shook off the effects of the calluses and blisters forming on his hands.

"They started getting real bad in that last round," Fox said.

Matt Nevala can be reached at (907) 348-2438 or toll free at (800) 770-9830, ext. 438.