To 13-year-old Joey Cruz, Henry Cejudo is an idol. Cruz has watched him on TV, read about him in newspapers and heard about him from his parents, who immigrated from Mexico more than 30 years ago.

“(My parents) tell me, ‘See, if Henry can do it, you can do it,’” said Cruz, a native of Dallas.

On Thursday night at World Arena, he saw Cejudo in person as the 22-year-old Olympic gold medalist lit the official flame at the opening ceremony for the State Games of America, which run through Sunday at various area venues.

Cruz was awestruck, to say the least.

“It was great,” he said. “When (Cejudo) came around and was giving everybody a high-five, man, I wish that we would’ve been closer.”

Cruz was referring to the victory lap that Cejudo, who is also a son of Mexican immigrants, took around the floor of the arena when he received the torch, slapping skin with everyone in his path.

While many of the 9,522 in attendance showed up to see Cejudo, who graduated from Coronado High School, there were plenty who came to see rock star Carly Smithson, who performed three songs. Mike Moran, who has emceed the past three opening ceremonies, called Smithson, a two-time participant on “American Idol,” the “best entertainer we’ve ever had at one of these events.”

“My girls watched her on ‘American Idol’ and when they found out she was going to be here, they told me there was no way they were going to miss this,” said Colorado Springs resident Matt Robbins, who watched with his two young daughters.

But for Cruz, the ceremony was much more than entertainment.

“I grew up kind of the same way Henry did,” he said. “He gives me hope and … just seeing him with his gold medal, it’s inspiring.”

Thousands of athletes and fans packed into the World Arena on Thursday for the opening ceremony of the State Games of America that run through Aug. 2. Olympic gold medalist and Coronado High School graduate Henry Cejudo lit the cauldron. Photo by Bryan Oller