Olympic Bronze Medalist Erin Blumert Featured at SBART Women in Sports Luncheon

The annual Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Women in Sports Luncheon brought female athletes from Carpinteria to Goleta to Earl Warren Showgrounds on Monday.

Olympic bobsledder and Santa Barbara resident Erin Blumert delivered the keynote address detailing her journey to a bronze medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Blumert’s remarks were both inspirational and informative as she echoed SBART President Alison Bernal’s sentiments about the importance of Title IX in opening the door for female athletes to flourish to a new generation.

“Don’t sell yourself short. If you have a dream, go for it,” Blumert said. “Enjoy the moments while you are there because it will go very fast.”

In addition, Blumert discussed ongoing issues such as equal pay and women bobsledders being limited to one discipline while the men can compete in the two- and four-person sleds.

Blumert, now the co-owner of Prevail Conditioning, earned a bronze medal at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics as a driver on the two-woman bobsled team.

“I had a coach the week before the Olympics tell me that I wasn’t good enough and I didn’t deserve to be where I was, I was just fast,” Blumert said. “So I got a little revenge and I told him thanks for pushing me.”

SBART Athletes of the Week

Sierra Tallman of San Marcos swimming was named SBART Athlete of the Week after taking first place in the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle at the Mt. Sac Invitational. In addition, she was a member of the San Marcos first-place 200 freestyle relay team.

In a dual meet against Ventura, Tallman won the individual 100 breaststroke and was a part of the first place 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay teams.

On the boys’ side, Cameron Earls was named MVP of the 28-team Dos Pueblos Invitational. The San Marcos boys’ volleyball team went 7-0 and won first place in the tournament.