Gold medalist welcomed
SAXONBURG — His newly earned gold medal hanging around his neck, Jordan Geist was treated like a hometown hero when he arrived back in Butler County Tuesday.
Geist, 19, took gold in the shot put Sunday at the Pan American Junior Games held in Peru.
His throw of 72 feet, 3 inches topped the field of under-20 throwers from North, South and Central American countries. The throw was also a United States record and the fifth best throw in the world, all-time.
Though he had hardly slept in 30 hours while traveling back from South America, Geist was still happy to participate in a parade down the borough's Main Street, organized in his honor.
Though some of his family members were in the loop, the parade had not been publicized on social media and it was a surprise to Geist up until the last minute.
Escorted by a Saxonburg police vehicle, a Saxonburg fire truck and the Knoch High School Marching Band, Geist sat in the backseat of a convertible, waving to people who lined the sidewalk to take photographs and wave American flags.
After the parade he stopped at Saxonburg Coffee Company to greet friends and take pictures with a few admirers.
“I was very surprised to say the least,” he said. “It's amazing to see what something like this does for a small town. Everyone has been so great. It's been an honor to live here.”
The parade was organized in part by Joe Huckestein, who drove the car with Geist in the back seat.
“It's a great family, it's a great kid. He's worked so hard for years, he deserved it,” Huckestein said.
Huckestein said that the marching band, fire and police were more than willing to make the parade happen on a couple days' notice. Since they didn't have a permit to close Main Street, the band just marched down the sidewalk.Several of the people on hand to welcome Geist back said that they admire not only his accomplishments, but also his character.“Everybody who knows Jordan Geist, knows that he is humble,” said Stetson Mead, a fellow Knoch 2017 graduate.Jeff Huckestein, who was on the track team for two years at Knoch, said that he has seen Geist's dedication firsthand.“His work ethic is amazing. This is his life, like 24/7. All he does is throw and work out,” he said.Geist, who set numerous state records during a decorated track and field career at Knoch, said he is now done competing for the season. In about three weeks, he will leave for the University of Arizona.
