The text message read, “Tracy won the shootout! Crowned the best shooter in the world (men & women) in the Biathlon World Team Challenge in Germany!”
Upon reading this message, my heart swelled, my eyes lit up and my mouth curled up in a smile. Because I know Tracy Barnes, the Olympic biathlete, and she deserves every second of everything good. She and her sister, Lanny Barnes, are two phenomenal women, role models for all young women.
Tracey Barnes. Submitted photo.
I talked to Lanny a couple of days ago, and she was disappointed that she couldn’t see her sister compete. Only one competitor is allowed per country, and Tracy made the cut for the U.S. And, furthermore, Lanny had committed to going to Mammoth in California to coach a youth biathlon workshop. Because that area had recently received 30 inches of snow, delays were inevitable for travel. However, last I heard, Lanny was on her way.
You can read more about the twins, Lanny and Tracy, at their blog online, which Lanny said is going to be relaunched soon with a new, fresh design. Also, you can follow their adventures at their blog called “Road to Russia,” which appears exclusively at The Women’s Outdoor Media Association’s website.
Lanny and Tracy Barnes. Submitted photo.
You’ll want to watch these two, as they compete their way to the 2014 Olympics in Russia. You’ll want to get to know them through their conversational and educational, often entertaining, blogposts at both sites.
But mostly, you’ll soon realize that these two athletes represent the very best that our country offers in this generation. And that, is a breath of fresh air in these trying times of more gun control, gun violence and the propensity of our culture to thwart any efforts for these athletes to travel easily and compete freely.
Publisher/Editor Barbara Baird is a freelance writer in hunting, shooting and outdoor markets. Her bylines are found at several top hunting and shooting publications. She also is a travel writer, and you can follow her at https://www.ozarkian.com. View all posts by Barbara Baird
WooooHoooo!