CNHI
Rockwall County —
A Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office detention officer was a big winner in the Texas Police Games, bringing home gold, silver and bronze medals in five track and field events.
Larry Fitzgerald, 27, was first in the 100 meters, 200 meters and high jump, second in the long jump and third in the pentathlon at the Texas Police Games held last weekend at South Padre Island and Brownsville.
Fitzgerald, a detention officer for 2.5 years, competed in the junior division for law enforcement personnel between the ages of 21 and 29.
This was the second year Fitzgerald participated in the Texas Police Games, organized competitive events that enable commissioned law enforcement officers to compete against other police officers from throughout the state. Last year, he won gold medals in the 100 meters and 200 meters.
This year, Fitzgerald almost didn’t make it to the finish line first in the 100, which he considers his best event.
Fitzgerald fell coming out of the blocks and saw an unfamiliar sight — the backs of runners. He recovered quickly and finished first in his heat.
“It’s over with,” Fitzgerald said he thought when he fell. “That’s my event. That’s what I’m here for.”
Athletes get only one chance. They run one race and the winner is the runner with the fastest time.
Fitzgerald thought the fall cost him the gold medal. When the second and third place finishers were announced, he was disappointed his name was called. Then, the winner’s name was announced: Larry Fitzgerald.
He also had some problems in the pentathlon. One of the five events in the pentathlon is a 1.5 mile run.
“I’m a sprinter, not a distance runner,” Fitzgerald said.
The detention officer said he fell behind in the pentathlon’s 1.5 mile event, but gained some of that ground back in a different event — his specialty, the 100 meters.
Fitzgerald said he believes more Rockwall County officers will participate in the 2011 games because they will be held in nearby DeSoto
