It was a battle to the end in the A class at the Aztec Highland Games, where Chad Thompson took top honors.


2019 Aztec Highland Games & Celtic Festival: Sparks Fly with Top Three
by Francis Brebner
President, International Highland Games Federation (IHGF)
 
The Aztec Highland Games & Celtic Festival celebrated its ninth year, attracting one of its biggest crowds and over 80 athletes competing in two days of heavy events. Chad Thompson, Jeremiah Giambartolomei, Dan Murphy, Kenny Benton, Benjamin Stanley, and Trinidad Vargas made up the A group. Decathlon scoring and measuring were used for the competition, and in the end, it proved to be very close between the top three athletes, Thompson, Giambartolomei, and Murphy.
 
The 22-lb. Braemar stone got off with sparks flying between Giambartolomei and Murphy with Giambartolomei nailing the win with a putt of 35’ 8.75” to set a new ground record. Murphy followed closely at 35’ 3.75”, with Thompson third at 34’ 3.5”.
 
Murphy was in a realm of his own in the 16-lb. open stone, blasting out a series of fantastic putts with a best of 46’ 10.5” to claim the victory and also set a new ground record. Second place was Giambartolomei at 43’ 5.25”, pushing Thompson into third at 42’ 1.25”.
 
The 56-lb. weight for distance was eventful for Thompson, who produced a personal best of 40’ 3” to outright win the event and set a new ground record. Murphy placed second at 33’ 10” with Giambartolomei in third place at 32’ 7.5”.

Thompson kept up the pace in the 28-lb. weight for distance, pushed all the way by his two contenders, and he claimed the win with a throw of 69’ 1.5”. Second place was close with Murphy pulling out a throw of 68’ 5.25” over Giambartolomei’s third-place effort at 69’ 0.25”.
 
Thompson went up a gear in the 22-lb. hammer and took the win with a distance of 90’ 7.25”.  Murphy and Giambartolomei vied for second, with Murphy marginally pulling ahead at 86’ 2”, leaving Giambartolomei in third at 85’ 1.5”.
 
In the 16-lb. hammer, Giambartolomei was looking good for the win with a throw of 110’ 0.75” going into the last round. Thompson was trailing in third but on his final attempt, he mustered a throw of 111’ 2.5” to snatch the win. Third was Murphy at 108’ 10.75”.
 
The caber, at 18’ 7” in length and 127 lb., was won by Murphy with a toss of 12:05. Second place on countback was Thompson over Giambartolomei, both at 12:15.
 
Thompson won the 20-lb. sheaf at 30’ 2.5”, with Giambartolomei taking second at 28’ and Murphy third at 26’.
 
The 56-lb. weight over bar was a climax finish, with the top three athletes ending in a tie at 14’. After the decathlon scores were finalized, Thompson had taken the overall victory after a hard-fought competition.
 
Overall placings:
1. Chad Thompson
2. Dan Murphy
3. Jeremiah Giambartolomei
4. Kenny Benton
5. Benjamin Stanley
6. Trinidad Vargas

Special mention goes to Lee Fugal in the Masters 50–59 category, who set a new world record in the 16-lb. sheaf over bar at 26’ 0.75”; and a big thanks to the athletic director of the games Derrick Haisman and all the judges and staff for doing a great job running the games.

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