MONTPELIER, Vt. - Daegan Goodman may have had the shortest distance to travel to the rotten sneaker contest, but you couldn't tell that by smelling his shoes. The 10-year-old from Montpelier took the crown and probably a few of the judges' olfactory glands in the annual event, which lured eight other finalists to Vermont's capital city from across the country.
Daegan explained his simple recipe for winning the coveted golden sneaker.
"I just wear 'em, sweat in 'em, play sports I just try," he said, the flashing bulbs and news cameras signaling the start of the youngster's celebrity.
Regular use and abuse seemed the treatment of choice for competitors in Tuesday's contest, which is sponsored by Odor-Eaters.
"I do BMX," said James Melton, 11, of Phoenix, Ariz. "The dirt and sweat combined made (my sneakers) really stinky."
James won a local contest to make it to Montpelier, heralded as the "Rotten Sneaker Capital of the World."
Appearing last in the 90-minute finals, James couldn't quite pass muster with "master sniffer" George Aldrich. But the impressive stench from his sneakers caused the 48-year-old judge to sway slightly nonetheless.
The annual contest began in 1975 as a way to help a local sporting goods store sell shoes. In 1988, Odor-Eaters maker of anti-foot-odor insoles, sprays and powder assumed sponsorship of the event.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=8&u=/ap/20040317/ap_on_fe_st/rotten_sneaker
Daegan explained his simple recipe for winning the coveted golden sneaker.
"I just wear 'em, sweat in 'em, play sports I just try," he said, the flashing bulbs and news cameras signaling the start of the youngster's celebrity.
Regular use and abuse seemed the treatment of choice for competitors in Tuesday's contest, which is sponsored by Odor-Eaters.
"I do BMX," said James Melton, 11, of Phoenix, Ariz. "The dirt and sweat combined made (my sneakers) really stinky."
James won a local contest to make it to Montpelier, heralded as the "Rotten Sneaker Capital of the World."
Appearing last in the 90-minute finals, James couldn't quite pass muster with "master sniffer" George Aldrich. But the impressive stench from his sneakers caused the 48-year-old judge to sway slightly nonetheless.
The annual contest began in 1975 as a way to help a local sporting goods store sell shoes. In 1988, Odor-Eaters maker of anti-foot-odor insoles, sprays and powder assumed sponsorship of the event.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=8&u=/ap/20040317/ap_on_fe_st/rotten_sneaker
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