WASHINGTON CITY — Quiet and grinning, Anthony Rohr, 26, and Jasmine Slama, 31, sat on bar stools in Rohr’s family living room while parents and grandparents shared the two athletes’ startling athletic achievements with St. George News.
The two runners joined Utah Tech’s Trailblazer team this year to represent the state in Florida’s June 2022 USA Special Olympics.
Rohr won two gold medals at the event, one in the 800-meter run (2 minutes, 36 seconds) and the other from a 28.21-meter mini-javelin throw. He also placed fourth in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 5:20.
“It took a lot of concentration,” Rohr said. “I was so amazed. It was a nostalgic feeling — I finally made it to Florida after everything I trained for.”
Hefting up a practice javelin, Rohr demonstrated his form in the living room, elongating his arms and tracing an arc with his fist. He said he’s thrown a javelin at least a thousand times over three years.
Slama, Rohr’s best friend and fellow track-and-field star, won a silver medal with a 1:18 400-meter dash and a bronze medal with a 3:07 in the 800. She also placed fourth in the 1,500-meter run with time of 6:28.
She completed a half marathon a few weeks before the national Special Olympics in June, and now she’s training for the St. George Marathon scheduled for October. Slama competed in 2014’s USA Special Olympics and won two gold medals and a silver medal .
“Really, I just love to run,” she said.
To qualify for the national competition, they both placed first in regional Special Olympics competitions, as well as first place in state competitions. Their names were put into a hat, and officials conducted a random drawing to see which state winner would compete in the national games in Florida.
Jasmine Slama’s father, Tim Slama, coached the two runners independently from Utah Tech’s team prior to the June games.
“I wanted to get them in the heat so they could get used to Florida weather,” he said. “They ran from 10 a.m. to about 1 or 2 p.m. They ran that easily, very easily.”
They ran 2-3 times per week, working up to 2-10 miles a day. They ran from Washington down to River Road in St. George.
“Running is like therapy for the both of them. These two feed off each other while they’re running,” Tim Slama said. “They’re like a machine. It’s beautiful to watch.”
As well as facilitating running regimens and delivering water to them along the running routes, Tim Slama helped the two athletes avoid shin splints, tendonitis and other injuries through active stretching and physical therapy.
“The biggest problem I had in the training here was catching up to them with water,” Tim Slama said. “Sometimes they ran so fast that when I got to the spots, I’d wonder what was taking so long, but they were actually way ahead of me, waiting for me.”
Jane Peterson, Rohr’s grandmother, traveled to Florida with her own mother to cheer Rohr on.
“I was hoping that Anthony would finish, and I had good confidence in him,” she said. “His great-grandma and I were right at the edge of the fence, taking pictures and cheering him on. I was so proud of him and what he’d gone through to get there.”
Apart from the games, Jasmine Slama said, she was most interested in the Disney World tickets and DJ-dance party thrown for the Special Olympics athletes.
In her words, Jasmine Slama “dragged” Rohr to the dance.
“I need to get him out more and teach him how to dance,” Jasmine Slama said.
Peterson chuckled and shook her head.
“These two are like an old married couple sometimes,” she said.
Rohr had a specific message to share with other Special Olympics aspirants.
“Just keep going,” he said. “Don’t quit. You’ll get a little bit quicker every time.”
For future races, Rohr is considering a half marathon, but for now, Rohr goes to the Washington Community Center every day to play basketball.
Photo Gallery
Anthony Rohr competes in U.S.A. Special Olympics, Orlando, Florida, June 7, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Jared Bruton, St. George News Anthony Rohr and Jasmine Slama with Utah's Special Olympics team, Orlando, Florida, June 7, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Jared Bruton, St. George News Jasmine Slama stretches before racing, Orlando, Florida, June 7, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Jared Bruton, St. George News Jasmine Slama and Anthony Rohr with their families, Orlando, Florida, June 7, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Jared Bruton, St. George News Anthony Rohr and Jasmine Slama sit in the resort pool, Orlando, Florida, June 7, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Jared Bruton, St. George News Jasmine Slama dances at the Special Olympics DJ dance party, Orlando, Florida, June 7, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Jared Bruton, St. George News Jasmine Slama receives a silver medal, Orlando, Florida, June 7, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Jared Bruton, St. George News Anthony Rohr wins a gold medal, Orlando, Florida, June 7, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Jared Bruton, St. George News Anthony Rohr and team sits in the Special Olympics opening ceremony, Orlando, Florida, June 7, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Jared Bruton, St. George News Jasmine Slama and Anthony Rohr arrive at the Special Olympics games, Orlando, Florida, June 7, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Jared Bruton, St. George News Jasmine Slama and Anthony Rohr arrive to the games, Orlando, Florida, June 7, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Jared Bruton, St. George News Jasmine Slama and Anthony Rohr at the competition field, Orlando, Florida, June 7, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Jared Bruton, St. George News Jasmine Slama competes in a race, Orlando, Florida, June 7, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Jared Bruton, St. George News Jasmine Slama and Anthony Rohr display their gold, silver and bronze medals, Washington City, Utah, Aug. 18, 2022 | Photo by Truman Burgess
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