Rochester Olympian Will Appear at Anthony Legacy Race

Participants in this year's Susan B. Anthony Legacy Race, which commemorates the suffragist's inspiring fight for equal rights and opportunities for women, will themselves be inspired by a special guest.

Olympic medalist Cathy Turner will speak at the finish line ceremonies of the race on Sunday, Sept. 21. She also will be available to sign copies of the book Awaken the Olympian Within, a collection of essays by 27 American Olympic athletes to which Turner contributed.

The Susan B. Anthony Legacy Race raises funds to benefit the ongoing educational programs at the Susan B. Anthony Center for Women's Leadership at the University and the Susan B. Anthony House. Walkers and runners start at the Anthony House at 10 a.m. and finish on the University's River Campus.

Turner's own life is an inspiring story of vision and determination. Nine years after retiring from short track speed skating to pursue a professional singing career, the Rochester native returned to the sport to pursue her dream of Olympic gold. Ignoring critics who questioned her ability to compete after her long hiatus, she won gold and silver medals in the 1992 Winter Olympic Games in Albertville, France. Retiring, she made another comeback prior to the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, where she earned another gold medal as well as a bronze medal. In 1998, she competed in her third Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

Now in demand as a motivational speaker, Turner has served as an analyst on ESPN and SportsChannel and appeared on numerous talk shows and sports documentaries. She's written music for programs on HBO and CBS, sung the national anthem at various sports venues, and done public service announcements or appearances for such organizations as United Way, the Amateur Athletic Association, Special Olympics, and the American Cancer Society.

For more information on the Anthony Legacy Race, call (585) 275-8799 or go online at www.rochester.edu/sba.