advertisement

'Breathtaking' performance snags Geneva Special Olympian 5 medals

Rhythmic gymnast Michelle Thompson of Geneva's extensive memorization of her Special Olympics routines paid off big time this week in the World Games in Los Angeles.

Thompson, 30, won three gold medals and two bronzes when she competed Sunday and Monday in four rhythmic gymnastics categories and an all-around division.

She won gold in rhythmic ball, rope and all-around, while taking bronze in rhythmic clubs and ribbon.

"It was very, very fun," Thompson said about her chance to compete on a world stage. "It's an experience I'll never forget."

Thompson has short-term memory loss because of an illness she suffered just before she turned 4. Her parents, Nancy and Rick Thompson, say it's miraculous she's able to remember her gymnastics routines at all, let alone compete on an international level.

Last month, when Michelle competed in the Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games, she forgot some of the movements in her ball routine and dropped to a silver medal. But in Los Angeles, with her parents, brother, longtime coach and thousands of others in the stands, she remembered them all and placed first in the world.

"She did wonderful. She definitely had a great time competing even under all the stress. She seemed to really block it out," her mother said. "She really focused on her routine even though there were tons of people applauding and cheering and clapping."

Thompson called the entire experience "breathtaking."

She entered dressed in red and blue with the rest of Team USA during a star-studded opening ceremony Saturday night. She got her hair and makeup done with plenty of sparkles for preliminaries on Sunday and the finals on Monday. She donned a different uniform for each category in the rhythmic gymnastics competition and had her performance critiqued by six judges, when at most competitions there are only one or two.

By Monday night, Thompson was marveling at the five large medals she says she'll treasure forever.

"They're huge!" she said Wednesday. "They pulled my neck down."

Thompson had been training in rhythmic gymnastics for 15 years before she got her big break to travel to the World Games as one of 15 athletes from Illinois and a part of the 481-member U.S. team.

Thompson's family now will celebrate her accomplishments during a vacation in California, which allows more time to reflect on the moving spectacle of the Special Olympics.

"It's truly an overwhelming experience just to watch all these athletes," Nancy Thompson said. "Everyone around us certainly had happy tears."

Geneva Special Olympian reaches international level in rhythmic gymnastics

Michelle Thompson, 30, of Geneva, competes in the clubs portion of the rhythmic gymnastics event during the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles. Thompson won five medals in the games including the bronze in rhythmic clubs. Courtesy of Nancy Thompson
Michelle Thompson of Geneva completes her bronze-medal winning routine in rhythmic ribbon during the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles. Courtesy of Nancy Thompson
Michelle Thompson, 30, of Geneva, says the five rhythmic gymnastics medals she won in the Special Olympics World Games are so heavy they pull her neck down when she wears them. Courtesy of Nancy Thompson
  Michelle Thompson of Geneva rehearses her rhythmic ribbon routine earlier this month at Dance Dynamics in Geneva before winning bronze in the event at the Special Olympics World Games. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
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.