Students put their athletic abilities and school spirit to the test yesterday to try to raise money for their clubs at the annual ASUA Club Olympics.

The Club Olympics began yesterday and will continue on the UA Mall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today.

Thirty-four clubs and at least 100 people competed in the events, including sumo wrestling, a three-legged race, a UA cheer competition and a bungee cord running contest.

Heather Nystedt, club events coordinator for the Associated Students of the University of Arizona, said the winner of the Club Olympics, which ends today, will receive $250, second place will win $150, third place will win $50 and fourth place will receive a pizza party.

Nystedt said aside from competing for money, the Club Olympics are a good way for club members to meet other club members and participate in friendly competition.

"The teams are unifying and intermingling," she said.

Andrea Privett, the president of the Video Game Xtreme Club, said her club is competing to win money for a video game tournament they want to have on campus.

Privett, a pre-communications junior, said the Video Game Xtreme Club has held tournaments in the past. To have one this year, they need money, which was one of the reasons they participated in the Club Olympics.

"It's a good way to forget about school for a few hours," said Kelly Van Leeuwen, a pre-business sophomore.

"Everyone's having fun, it's not that competitive," she said.

Noah Miretsky, vice president of the Stocks and Securities Investment Club, said he met a lot of people yesterday just by competing with them.

Mirestsky put on a sumo-wrestling suit to compete for his team.

"It's hard to move in those things," he said after he wrestled.

Mirestsky said he's got his eye on the prize money and if his club wins, they will use it for T-shirts and other club supplies.

Nystedt said more clubs participated in Club Olympics this year since ASUA first began it three years ago.

"It's gotten great attention, and this year is a record high," she said.

The top eight teams in yesterday's competitions will compete again today, Nystedt said.

However, teams that didn't place in the top eight yesterday still have a shot at the prize money if they place first or second in today's eating competition, Nystedt said. She said the eating competition will test which club can eat the most of a selected food, like Eegee's sandwiches or watermelon.

The top two teams from the eating competition will join the overall top eight from yesterday's competition for the finals.

She said the final 10 teams will compete in a sponge race, where members of a team soak a sponge full of water, pass it to other team members and squeeze the remaining water into a bucket.

The top eight teams from the bucket race will move onto an obstacle course, and the top four teams from the obstacle course will compete in the final event of mud tug-of-war.