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PHOTOS provided by Trevor Bassitt. Click gallery to enlarge and view at your own pace.

Part 2 HERE

By Benji Bergstrand

After Trevor Bassitt failed to advance out of the preliminary heat in the 400m hurdles at the Paris Olympics, there were no alarm bells going off, no panic setting in. He had been there before. The 2024 season had tested and taught him. Adversity didn’t scare him. 

Trevor had experienced a hamstring injury in late March that had nagged at him through the rest of the season. “I had bounced back pretty quickly,” Bassitt said. “But it never really got back to full strength so I was kind of operating with my left leg at 85-90% the rest of the season.”

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Provided by Bluffton High School

Bluffton High School proudly recognizes Liliana Liberato as the November 2024 student of the month. Liliana is a junior with a 4.0 GPA and is the daughter of Gesse and Leslie Liberato of Bluffton. 

Liberato’s array of accomplishments showcase both her diverse talents and commitment to academics. She is heavily involved in the performing arts, participating in show choir, symphonic choir, chamber choir, high school ensemble, marching band, concert band and orchestra. Her passion for music extends beyond the classroom. She earned a one rating at solo and ensemble competition and enjoys writing music in her free time. 

In addition to her musical talents, Liliana is a dedicated student who excels in academics. She received awards in freshman geometry and English as well as the Spanish I honors award, highlighting her versatility across subjects. As a member of the National Honor Society and Student Senate, she demonstrates leadership and commitment to her education, peers and school. She is taking college courses at the University of Findlay and Rhodes State College and plans to attend Rhodes State College, majoring in Occupational Therapy.  CONTINUES ▶︎

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Click photos to enter gallery mode and view at your own pace. PHOTOS provided by Trevor Bassitt.

Olympic athlete Trevor Bassitt, 26, Team USA Track & Field and 5x World Medalist, competed in the men’s 400-meter hurdles in the 2024 summer Olympics. See part 1 HERE.

By Benji Bergstrand

As Trevor Bassitt began to settle into life in the Olympic Village and tune up for his 400m hurdle preliminary race one thing that wasn’t high on his to-do list was sightseeing. “I had been to Paris before for a race in 2023. I had seen the Eiffel Tower,” Bassitt said. Plus, there was all the walking. “If you weren’t going to an Olympic site where they had a shuttle, you would have to walk a good ten minutes out from the village because all the roads were shut down and they wouldn’t let people through without a credential, and there are few things I hate more than unnecessary walking, so I didn’t go sightseeing too much.”

The village itself provided Trevor plenty of opportunities for entertainment and exploration. At over 130 acres and supporting a population of over 14,000 people, it truly was a village within the city of Paris. “The Village itself was massive,” Bassitt said. “I didn’t even see every part of it. There were shuttles that could take you anywhere in the village you wanted. There was a grocery store, a Paris 2024 merchandise store, a Samsung store and there were vending machines all over with free Coca Cola products for the villagers. They also had some interactive games and scavenger hunts athletes could do to try and get pins.” ▶︎

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PHOTOS from Trevor Bassitt. Click on photos to enlarge and view at your own pace.

Olympic athlete Trevor Bassitt, 26, Team USA Track & Field and 5x World Medalist, competed in the men’s 400-meter hurdles in the 2024 summer Olympics. See Icon coverage of his Olympic races HERE.

By Benji Bergstrand

When Trevor Bassitt arrived in France to compete in his first ever Olympic games there wasn’t much time for contemplation or reflection on his journey from competing for the Bluffton Pirates in the Northwest Conference to competing for Team USA on the world’s biggest stage. He was running late. “Touching down in Paris was a little hectic. Because of flight delays I had to get to the Olympic Village, drop my stuff off and go straight to practice,” Bassitt said. And then there were Trevor’s evening plans. “After practice I had a bit of time to get organized before the Opening Ceremonies.”

Even getting to the Opening Ceremony involved delays. All of the athletes had to gather in the lobby of the Team USA building in the Olympic Village in order to board shuttles that would take them to the docks where the team boat was waiting, a process that took two hours.

The waiting didn’t end there.  “We had to stand on the boat for a long time because we were the 2nd to last country to go since we are the host of the 2028 Olympics,” Bassitt said. “We passed time walking around the boat and getting to talk with other athletes.” ▶︎

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Combs, Steiner and Dunlap step it up in Health Action Council challenge

The Gingerbread Squad of Jaime Combs, Heidi Steiner and Ryan Dunlap from Bluffton Elementary School earned first place in the Health Action Council Healthy Fall Spring Step It Up Challenge and won $1,500 for their school.

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The Bluffton High School student of the month for October 2024 is Kaleigh Coffman, daughter of Megan Coffman of Bluffton. Kaleigh is a senior with a 3.943 GPA. 

Coffman is an active member of the student body, participating in the Show Choir, Drama Club, Latin Club and Art Club. She holds an office position as Student Senate President and is acting treasurer for the school’s Volunteer Club.

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