News

Special Olympians go for gold, spot in state summer games at Lake Zurich meet

Posted May 03, 2015 1:00 am

Daily Herald report

About 475 Special Olympics athletes from Lake and McHenry counties competed in track and field events before an enthusiastic crowd Sunday at Lake Zurich High School.

The Area 13 Spring Games featured running events, standing and running long jump, shot put, tennis and softball throw, high jump, walking races, wheelchair competitions and assisted races.

"I feel pretty good. You gotta have fun and you just got to concentrate," said Wayne Sima, a resident of Lambs Farm near Libertyville, who competed in the 100-meter run and the softball throw.

To compete in the Special Olympics Illinois Area Spring Games, athletes must train for eight weeks. Gold medal winners from Sunday's event qualified to compete in the Special Olympics Illinois State Summer Games June 12-14 on the campuses of Illinois State University in Normal and Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington. More than 3,700 athletes from around the state are expected to compete in Summer Games.

Members of the Mount Saint Joseph team enter the stadium at Lake Zurich High School during the opening ceremonies of the Special Olympics Area 13 Spring Games on Sunday. About 475 athletes from Lake and McHenry Counties competed in the games, which determines who qualifies for a spot in the Illinois State Summer Games next month. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com

Article Comments

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.