Grand Forks AFB recognizes Athletes of the Year for 2012

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ashley N. Taylor
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N. D. --  Two Warriors of the North were recognized as the base's 2012 Athletes of the Year.

Second Lt. Elizabeth "Betta" Levri, of the 319th Force Support Squadron, and Master Sgt. Jeffery Rueben, of the 319th Civil Engineer Squadron, earned the honors.

Both Levri and Rueben participated and competed in several athletic events in 2012.

Levri completed seven running events and participated in intramural squadron basketball and soccer. She placed 7th out of 463 women in her age group in the Fargo Half Marathon in May 2012. She said that was her favorite event of the year.

"I only registered for this half marathon to motivate myself to prepare for the full marathon I was scheduled to run in August," said Levri. "I guess the competitive atmosphere got the better of me and I ended up getting my personal best for thirteen point one miles with a time of one hour, thirty-eight minutes and three seconds. I'm really proud of this race because I earned it."

Rueben participated in six events in 2012, including an Ironman competition with hundreds of hours spent training for it. He placed 111th out of 208 men in his age group with an overall time of 12 hours and 39 minutes in the competition in Panama City Beach, Fla.

"Ironman is the pinnacle of endurance and not only challenges your body's physical endurance, but the mental aspect as well to keep pressing on," said Rueben. "I knew this was going to be a big personal accomplishment, making myself comfortable being uncomfortable so to speak."

Levri and Rueben will move on to compete for the Air Mobility Command Athlete of the Year award.

The Athlete of the Year Award Program is designed to recognize individual Airmen who positive represent themselves and the Air Force through their outstanding performances in on- and off-base athletic and sports-related events and activities, which supports the Air Force's "Fit to Fight" philosophy. Air Force base athlete of the year award programs directly support the Air Force's Comprehensive Airman Fitness Program, which is designed to build and sustain a thriving and resilient Air Force Community that fosters mental, physical, social and spiritual fitness.