Grace Community Church, a Charis Fellowship congregation in Fremont, Ohio (Kevin Pinkerton, lead pastor), is opening its doors Sunday evening to allow church and community members to cheer on one of its own in the Tokyo Olympics. Jacob Wukie, a silver medalist in the 2012 London games, is competing with Team USA archery on Sunday night. Wukie, a long-time attender at Grace Community Church is also the son-in-law of lead pastor Kevin Pinkerton. A story in the Fremont, Ohio, News-Messenger, provides the details. A portion of the story appears below. Click here to read the complete article.
Fremont community to come together to cheer on Ohio Olympic archer Jacob Wukie
Jacob Wukie returns to Olympics 9 years after earning a silver medal in London
FREMONT – A group will gather Sunday at Grace Community Church to cheer on one of its own as he shoots for Team USA archery in the Tokyo Olympics.
Jacob Wukie, a 2004 Ross High School graduate, won a silver medal in the 2012 Olympics but a lot has changed since he competed in London and failed to make the 2016 games held in Brazil.
Jacob Wukie:Fremont archer heading to Summer Olympics in Tokyo
The 35-year-old Fremont athlete is now married, has three children, and holds a full-time job as an operator at the Ottawa County Regional Water Plant.
Rooting from 6,000 miles away
Brianne, Wukie’s wife, said Friday that she went to London in 2012 to cheer on her then-fiancée, but will now have to root for him from 6,461 miles away.
“I definitely wish I could be there with him to support him and cheer him on, but really I am just so thankful that he was able to make the team,” Brianne said. “It’s been a steady journey of blessings so I can’t help but just be thankful that he gets to be there. That definitely overshadows any disappointment I have over not being able to be there.”
The opening ceremonies were held Friday morning and broadcast live by NBC, then again on delay for Friday night prime time, as there is a 13-hour time difference between U.S. Eastern Time and Tokyo.
Wukie will look to win another medal with Team USA when he takes to the range for competition beginning Sunday night.
Wukie is a longtime member of Grace Community Church, which is inviting the community to come and watch him compete Sunday night. The church at 900 Smith Road will set up screens in the youth center to watch the Olympic archery competition.
Click here to read the complete article.