Who can’t get behind an 88-year-old Catholic nun who is still racing in triathlons? Our top stories from August include Sister Madonna Buder becoming a national champion once again, Ashlyn Harris stepping up ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day and Patrick Reed paving the way for junior golfers.
The top five from the month that was:
5. Ashlyn Harris is on a mission ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day
Pro soccer player Ashlyn Harris is busy this week spreading a very important message: Keep fighting because “tomorrow needs you.”
And, because 800,000 people worldwide take their life each year (that’s one person every 40 seconds), it’s a proclamation worth listening to.
The Orlando Pride goalkeeper and longtime mental health advocate started a fundraising page ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day 2018, which falls on Monday, September 10.
4. Steph and Ayesha Curry donate $25,000 to pro golfer’s family
In his second Ellie Mae Classic appearance, Steph Curry didn’t have the kind of outstanding athletic performance we’re used to seeing from him on the basketball court. After all, golf is a different beast.
But, despite finishing in last place in the Web.com tournament, Curry still turned heads and drew applause for actions that transcend sports.
That’s because he and wife, Ayesha Curry, donated $25,000 to professional golfer Scott Harrington and his wife, Jenn, who was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma for a second time in May.
3. “Iron Nun” triathlete Sister Madonna Buder, 88, becomes national champion again
There were more than 5,400 triathletes who competed in the 2018 USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships last weekend, but you’d be hard pressed to find one as impressive as the 88-year-old “Iron Nun.”
NORTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 01: Patrick Reed of the United States walks on the 16th hole during round two of the Dell Technologies Championship at TPC Boston on September 1, 2018 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Otherwise known as Sister Madonna Buder, the Roman Catholic nun of 65 years from Spokane, Washington ran across the finish line while waving to adoring fans and throwing her arms up in the air to celebrate another great race, this time in Cleveland, Ohio. By finishing the Olympic distance race (a 1.5 km swim, a 40 km bike segment and a 10km run), she took the top spot in the 85-to-89 female age group.
2. Patrick Reed goes all in to give junior golfers a chance to “make it”
Long before PGA TOUR pro Patrick Reed, 28, became the 2018 Masters champion, you could have found him on the baseball diamond, where he’d tell you he was a power hitter and had “a mean fastball.”
But, as much as Reed enjoyed America’s favorite pastime, he was laser-focused on developing a swing of a different kind, and making it to golf’s highest level.
However, this Texas native’s rise in the sport wouldn’t have been possible without being steeped in the world of junior golf, specifically the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA).
1. Nine days in Cape Cod Part II: One manager’s gamble on baseball’s overlooked
Two thousand people watched the lead toss and turn four times as the day faded to dust. The late afternoon sun set on Red Wilson Field just slowly enough to make the fans lining the fence with lawn chairs wish Cape Cod could stay summer forever.
It’s baseball at its finest, but the Whitecaps face the lineup whose clout might be the only thing that can overshadow New England’s golden hour.
