The American president has decided on a new initiative for school gymnastics in the USA – and one part of the initiative is to reintroduce the so-called "Presidential Fitness Test".
The fitness test, which consists of 40 push-ups, 10 "pull-ups" and running an American mile (1.6 kilometers) in six and a half minutes, was phased out during the Obama administration in 2012. But on Thursday, Trump, flanked by a number of sports stars at the White House, presented that the test is being reintroduced in American schools.
”A part of my life”
One of the stars was the former golfer Annika Sörenstam, who spoke at the podium.
Sports have always been a part of my life, and the importance of living a healthy, active life has never been more important than now, she said according to the Washington Post and continued:
So thank you for the trust, I really look forward to starting to work with this, to make a difference in the lives of children and people. The number of overweight people is higher than ever and mental illness, as we all know, must be addressed.
Awarded the Freedom Medal
According to Trump, the reintroduction of the test is an "important step in the mission to make the USA healthy again".
Sörenstam was awarded the Freedom Medal by Donald Trump in 2021, just a day after the storming of the Capitol.
One must accept that people have different opinions. I am open to listening, that's what you can do. But when I look at this medal, it's about making the world a better place. That's my big goal and that's what I intend to continue doing, she said in an interview with Dagens Nyheter back then.
Before the 2024 election, Sörenstam also posted a picture on Instagram of herself and her husband Mike McGee under the hashtag "MakeAmericaGreatAgain".
I am proud to be able to vote in the USA and as an American citizen, I think it's important, Sörenstam said to Expressen when she was asked about the picture.
