After months of anticipation and lots of memes, Freedom250’s Patriot Games are finally here. The competition pits high schoolers from all 50 states and each US territory against each other in tests of athletic strength and patriotism—something akin to the Hunger Games, hopefully minus the bloodshed. Competitors spent the several days competing in Geneva, Ohio, and tonight the final competition will air at 9 PM ET on ABC.
The games have been a source of controversy since their inception. The event was originally set to take place in DC, but was unceremoniously moved to Ohio earlier this year. As the games have commenced, some have criticized the overall lack of diversity among the contestants and have also said that the event’s branding is highly partisan.
DC’s female competitor, Ellory Ridenour, is a sophomore at Georgetown Visitation Prep in Northwest DC. She’s a track and field athlete who competed last year at Nike’s Indoor Track and Field Nationals. She says that the competition was far from the Hunger Games.
“I was watching the news, and Freedom250 had mentioned this fabulous opportunity. Thereafter, I researched the event, and I was intrigued by the testing of endurance, skill, and strength that the competition offered,” Ridenour says.
Ridenour’s journey to the Patriot Games began with a one-minute-long video she submitted at the end of June. In the video, Ridenour discusses her athletic achievements, her patriotism, and her relationship with God.
“My heart belongs to God, my family, my sport, my academics, and, of course, America,” Ridenour says in the video over a clip of her running on a track.
She says about five days later she received a notification that she had advanced to the second round, which involved filling out a questionnaire. Then she received news that she had been selected, with just weeks until she would need to be in Ohio. The information they received was limited—she said they let participants know what to pack and what days might look like, but that the competitions themselves were a mystery.
She spent the summer training—swimming, running, biking, and working on her core strength. She also maintained one hobby that proved particularly useful for the games.
“I also create obstacle courses with my sister, and we love it because it allows for some creative freedom, and you also get a workout in,” Ridenour says.
The competition included everything from classic track events like 55-meter hurdles and the 100-meter hurdles to pull-up hangs. There were also more unique events like Operation Endurance, an obstacle course that included flipping tires, dodging poles, and climbing a 15-foot net. Ridenour says her experience playing multiple sports helped her significantly.
“I definitely think I have an upper hand in the running portion of it,” she said, when interviewed during the games. “Everybody I’m competing against is an amazing athlete. I would also say that I’ve done previous sports like they have in the past, so I have some of those skills down that they also have.”
Beyond the competition, Ridenour also says that the environment for participants was great. The facilities included a lounge for the athletes to get to know each other, with old-fashioned arcade games and a smoothie bar.
“It has been an incredible experience for me so far,” Ridenour says. “I absolutely love being around other competitive people because it drives me to be better. And I believe that true resilience is formed under true competition.”
You can watch how Ellory, DC’s other contestant, Jace Miles, as well as contestants from Maryland and Virginia, all fared during the primetime special tonight on ABC. Trump, along with other members of his administration, attended the taping of the finale to present each of the winners (male and female) with a $125,000 scholarship prize.
