Kennadi Fuhrman and Rockwell Myers were crowned the winners of the inaugural Patriot Games held in Geneva, Ohio. The event, which took place from Aug. 9 to Aug. 11, featured one male and one female student from each U.S. state and territory.
Kennadi Fuhrman, a senior at De Soto High School in Kansas, won the female division. Fuhrman is a soccer player committed to the University of Central Missouri and is also a power lifter. Upon her victory, Fuhrman expressed being in awe and stated she had been praying for the outcome. Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall congratulated Fuhrman on social media, noting that Kansas is home to great young patriots.
Rockwell Myers of Utah won the male division. Myers, a 16-year-old student at the Utah Military Academy in the St. George area, has an athletic background that includes climbing, ballroom dancing, tennis, and completing the Utah Spartan Beast race. Myers expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent Utah and stated the experience was life-changing. He noted that his experience in ballroom dancing helped him because it requires being light on one's feet and ready for quick changes in direction.
The winners of the Patriot Games each received $125,000 in scholarship money. The competition included various events such as a Presidential Fitness Test, a military-inspired boot camp circuit, an obstacle course, and team competitions including dodgeball, kickball, tug of war, and Victory Hoops.
Participants were required to be U.S. citizens or legal residents between the ages of 14 to 17. The Patriot Games was founded by the administration of President Donald Trump, who attended the finale alongside ESPN personality Pat McAfee.
The Patriot Games were first announced in July 2025. The event was held at SPIRE Academy during its inaugural run in 2026.
