The story was originally published in The Sylva Herald edition on May 4.
Following a two-year hiatus, about 100 athletes will take to the track and field for friendly competition at the Special Olympics spring games at 10 a.m. Friday at Smoky Mountain high School.
“The games will feature traditional and modified track and field events, like the 100-meter dash and 10-meter wheelchair race,” said Abigail Clayton, Jackson County Special Olympics local program coordinator.
“Most participants are Jackson County residents, from the Parks and Rec program, Jackson County schools, and there will be a small group joining from Swain County because there are not enough children there to have their own games,” Clayton said.
The Special Olympics is one of the world’s largest sports organizations for children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities.
“Special Olympics is a year-round sports training program for individuals of all ages with an intellectual disability,” Clayton said. “Locally these individuals do not have a whole lot of opportunities, so we make sure that we try to have this annual event in addition to those year-round opportunities. We do basketball, bowling, golf, track and field, and we’re trying to continually add sports.”
The public is welcome to come and cheer. The public should use the parking lots at Fairview Youth Complex and will have access to the stadium but can only sit in the stands. Western Carolina University students normally volunteer for the events but due to COVID-19, the Special Olympics organization asked that the number of volunteers be kept to a minimum.
There will be volunteers from Smoky Mountain High and local churches. Parks and Rec staff will be in control of all the track and field events.
“Local law enforcement will complete the final leg of our county’s torch run and deliver the Flame of Hope to the stage during the Opening Ceremony,” Clayton said. “Our athletes deserve the opportunity to shine!”
This was a late planning year for Jackson County because they did not get authorization to have the event until a few months ago but it will be an organized traditional event.
“The purpose of these events is to give an opportunity to all youth with an intellectual disability to train and compete in sports giving them the opportunity to have fun, develop physical fitness, participate in sharing and learn to share,” she said.
The opening ceremony is set to begin at 10 a.m. followed by the track competition and awards, then lunch. Later, the field competition and the awards.
The weather folks are calling for about an 80 percent chance of rain, and organizers have named May 13 as the rain date.
