Jim Budzinski from Outsports.com gives us a first person profile of Chicago track athlete Roger Bashore. "My involvement in the Gay Games began with the New York closing ceremonies in 1994. I handed out information and buttons for one of the sponsors. At that time, participating in the Gay Games hadn’t crossed my mind. A few years before, I put my racing shoes away and retired from competition.
Prior to Gay Games V in Amsterdam, a friend of mine approached me to run in a 4×400-meter relay team with him. I wasn’t competing seriously at the time, so it was an interesting proposal and I decided to go. Although the relay team never came to be, I had a great experience in Amsterdam and won a bronze medal in the 1,500 meters. I have participated in every Gay Games since.
There have been highs and lows over the years. I had the flu in Sydney in 2002 but had a great time anyway. I only got to run the 800- meter prelims on the track before spending a few days in bed. By the end of the week, I had recovered enough to run the 10K road race and came away with a gold. My partner and I used our time on the other side of the world to explore New Zealand and the Great Barrier Reef. It was an amazing trip that we may have never had if it wasn’t for the Gay Games."
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