Myra Champaign

General

• 15 year old prodigy athlete
• Father: Klaus Lowrie
• Birthday is sometime in October or November.

• Was diagnosed with Walker's Syndrome at a very early age.
  • Took various enhancers as a medical treatment until she was 8.
  • During this time, she was assisted personally by Dale Robarding, Director of Research at Cognivia.

• The eighth youngest player ever admitted into PCAG competition and the second youngest winner ever (.
• Recognized as being one of the best young players on the scene since Serena Duncan's debut eight years ago.

• Defeated Bryce Goran, eliminating him from competition (surprisingly early in the season).
• Was honoured to play against Ryan Cahill, even though she lost very very badly.

• As any 15 year-old would be, she is bubbly with adoration over Alejo Jackson.

Champaign Sparkles Controversial PCAG phenom Myra Champaign set a fantastic bar for next year's championship competition last night in a showy exhibition match against Oliver Pohele. Champaign has said she is "determined to improve on last year's performance." --The Sentinel, 19-JUN-06

Scandal

• As a child, suffered from cognitive and developmental disorders, and was treated with a range of experimental enhancement medications
• These enhancements are considered to be very unsporting, by some in the community.
• A specially convened committee of PCAG officials judged in favour of allowing her to compete
• The controversy is about her participation and the fundamental definition of cognitive enhancement by drugs
• A campaign against her entrance into the PCAG is being led by Jonas Sawgrass of the Alliance for Clean Players
• On 17-JUN-05, during her debut match (against Mikhail Terpening), protesters bought out a block of tickets and jeered the 14-year-old athlete.
  • She left the stage crying.
  • She still managed to win against Terpening.
  • After the whole thing, Alejo Jackson sent her an encouraging note and a signed poster.
• Following her 13-JUL-05 win against Bryce Goran, opponents to Champaign insisted it to be clear evidence of "enhanced" players defeating "clean" players.
• Her 12-SEP-05 loss to Ryan Cahill was not seen as a victory for "clean" players
  • Rather, wound up simply being another cheap excuse for Jonas Sawgrass of the Alliance for Clean Players to rail on about vigilance.
• Finally, during her 03-DEC-05 match, she fell just short of making the december cuts, and was ejected from championship play.
  • She remains optimistic, and intends to work harder to be sharper next year.

• Indeed she opened the 269 season making good on that plan, with beating out Oliver Pohele in an exhibition match.

• Some (including PCAG analyst Orville Pomander) have speculated that the very nature of the Champaign scandal has sold more tickets and brought more observers to the games than any other single major element in recent years. The conclusion: everyone loves a scandal.

References

• Perplex City Sentinel
  • article, 14-DEC-07 "Champaign Takes the PCAG Championship" (link)

• • article, 31-MAY-05 "Champaign Accepted into Competition" (link)
  • article, 10-JUN-05 "View from Earth: Prodigal Prodigy" (link)
  • article, 17-JUN-05 "Champaign Leaves Match in Tears" (link)
  • letter, 13-JUL-05 "Good Sportsmanship" (link)
  • article, 14-JUL-05 "Goran Out of Games" (link)
  • article, 03-AUG-05 "PCAG Championship Season Opens" (link)
  • article, 12-SEP-05 "Champaign Falls, Cahill Climbs" (link)
  • article, 11-NOV-05 "Iona Interviews... Myra Champaign" (link)
  • news in brief, 07-DEC-05 "Champaign Out of Play" (link)
  • article, 12-JAN-06 "Iona Interviews... Dale Robarding" (link)
  • more news in brief, 19-JUN-06 "Champaign Sparkles" (link)
  • article, 18-SEP-06 "PCAG Season Warms Up, Albeit Slowly" (link)

• Michiko Clark's Talk Sport interview (link)

Preceded: Ryan Cahill

PCAG Champion (270)

Succeeded: incumbent