PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Military members from Hampton Roads are racking up medals at the 2023 Department of Defense Warrior Games.
Navy Airman Jasmine Jones won a bronze medal in a 200-meter dash competition during the track portion of the event, and Senior Chief Petty Officer Werner “Tiny” Mammen has won three different gold medals: in the discus, shot put and in powerlifting.
The 6-foot-5, 300-pound former football lineman benched 384 pounds to take home the prize in the top powerlifting weight class for the special operations team. He also had throws of 14.03 meters and 50.06 meters to win shot put and discus events, respectively.
Mammen, who injured his knee while serving with Naval Special Warfare Group Two at Little Creek and suffered blood clots and pulmonary embolisms post-surgery (losing about 1/3 of his lung capacity in the process), credits the DoD’s Warrior Care program and Flex Gym on Bonney Road in Virginia Beach in helping him in his recovery.
The Paralympics-style competition for wounded warriors that started last weekend in San Diego and runs through Monday, June 12. Other local military members competing in the event include Aviation Electronics Technician Airman Christopher Ratliff (Virginia Beach), Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Maxwell Ocloo (Suffolk).
You can watch the competition and follow live at dodwarriorgames.com. Mammen will also compete the U.S. team this September at the Invictus Games.