An Air National Guardsman, a horse surgeon and a T-12/L-1 paraplegic mother of three – what do they all have in common? Perseverance, dedication and the desire to push themselves to their limits, as General Nutrition Centers, Inc.
(GNC), the largest global specialty retailer of nutritional supplements, found
out during their Endurance Athletes Sponsorship Contest. These three individuals
were named winners of the web-based essay contest that asked consumers to write
why they would like GNC to sponsor them in their pursuit of an endurance goal.
Three Aspiring Athletes Win a Chance to Fulfill Their Long-Time Fitness Goals
Pittsburgh, PA, March 3, 2005 – An Air National Guardsman, a horse surgeon
and a T-12/L-1 paraplegic mother of three – what do they all have in common?
Perseverance, dedication and the desire to push themselves to their limits,
as General Nutrition Centers, Inc. (GNC), the largest global specialty retailer
of nutritional supplements, found out during their Endurance Athletes Sponsorship
Contest. These three individuals were named winners of the web-based essay contest
that asked consumers to write why they would like GNC to sponsor them in their
pursuit of an endurance goal.
The contest was divided into three categories: men, women and “defying
the odds,” which included individuals, both men and women, who truly overcame
an obstacle, such as an injury or disability, and still had the desire to fulfill
his/her fitness goal.
A GNC panel of judges, including company dietitians, scientific affairs team
members and professional tri-athlete Jessi Stensland, reviewed over 1,000 entries
and selected a winner in each category based on the challenge itself and the
entrant’s desire to achieve their goal.
Each of the winners will receive:
• Six pairs of Asics® running shoes
• Xterra® wetsuit
• GNC Team Pro Performance training and competition gear
• One year supply of GNC sports nutrition supplements
• Nutritional support from a GNC staff dietitian
• Paid entry fee into his/her endurance competition
And the Winners Are…
In the women’s category, the winner is 37-year-old Diana Hassel from
Fort Collins, CO. Hassel is an assistant professor of Equine Emergency Surgery
and Critical Care at Colorado State University. She is a 2002 Ironman Hawaii
world champion in the 30-34 age bracket and wants to return to the 2005 Ironman
competition in Hawaii to set a new course record for the women’s 35-39
age group.
“I had to sit out in 2004 due to an injury, but after attending the event
to support my friends I became incredibly motivated to come back stronger than
ever,” said Hassel. “I’m very excited to be a part of the
GNC Pro Performance Team as I move forward to set a new record.”
Similarly, men’s category winner, John Zepeda is in training to compete
in this year’s Ironman Brazil competition in May 2005. A 35-year-old Anheuser
Busch machinist and Air National Guardsman from Pearland, Texas, Zepeda has
been competing in triathlons for two years.
“This will be my biggest challenge yet,” said Zepeda, “but
I know that I can do it. I am an endurance athlete fanatic. The folks at GNC
will be a great help during my training.”
Thirty-four-year-old Edie Guess, has “defied the odds” to secure
the third and final spot in the GNC Endurance Athletes Sponsorship Contest.
A mother of three, Guess has been a T-12/L-1 paraplegic since the age of 15
when she was run over by a car. Her husband began competing in triathlons in
2002 and after watching him finish his second half-Ironman distance triathlon,
she became inspired to enter a competition with him. Using a handcycle, Guess
is training to participate in the Rock ‘n Roll marathon in Phoenix, AZ
this upcoming January.
“This will be the first time I’ve ever done anything like this,”
said Guess. “My husband and GNC have been so supportive, though, which
is really helping me gear up for the marathon. My goal is to just finish –
although a win would be great!”
GNC is the largest global specialty retailer of nutritional supplements, which
includes vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements, sports nutrition products,
diet and energy products and specialty supplements. GNC has more than 4,900
retail locations throughout the United States, including more than 1,300 domestic
franchise locations, more than 1,000 store-within-a-store locations under its
strategic alliance with Rite Aid and more than 800 locations in more than 35
foreign markets including Canada and Mexico.
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