The Olympic Heights Special Olympics Track and Field Team and Lion’s Club Volunteers participated in their first Special Olympic Track Meet hosted by John I. Leonard on Saturday, March 5.  The athletes, coaches, and volunteers started their day off with Opening Ceremonies and then proceeded to their various track and field events.   It was a spectacular day for the OH student athletes with the following participants winning medals:

Angel Ahumada: DIV 34 100 M Walk – 1st Place; Tennis Ball Throw – 2nd Place

Samuel Clingan: DIV 119 50 M Run – 2nd Place; DIV 25 Softball Throw – 2nd Place

Jarred Kotzen: DIV 34 100 M Walk – 1st place; Div 25 Softball Throw – 1st place

Derrick Morgan: DIV 18 100 M Run – 1st Place (fastest time of the day 11.3); DIV 81 200 M Run – 1st Place (fastest time of the day 21.6); DIV 135 4×100 Relay – 2nd Place

Steven Nguyen: DIV 117 50 M Run – 1st Place; DIV 31 Softball Throw – 2nd Place

Savannah Pelusio: DIV 11 Softball Throw – 1st Place (Savannah then spent the rest of the day cheering on the other athletes in her LIONS Cheerleading outfit along with Lion’s Club Volunteer Gili Goldenberg)

Michael Pinkoff: DIV 17 100M Run – 2nd place; DIV 82 200M Run – 1st Place (Michael came from behind in 4th to win this race); DIV 153 4×100 Relay – 2nd Place

Joseph (Joey) and Shea Poloskey: DIV 153 4×100 Relay – 2nd Place

Special Olympics Team Coach Shanon Lewis points out the incredible work done by Joey and Shea Poloskey, commenting that “both of these young men have been instrumental in making it possible for Angel [Ahumada] to be a part of these games. They have taken their responsibility seriously, and then when Angel went home, they stayed  another two hours to be a part of the 2nd Place Unified Relay with Derrick Morgan and Michael Pinkoff.”

Coaches Lewis and and Ms. Virginia Kelly would also like to recognize LION’s Club Volunteers James Fryer, Seth Sigel and Alexia Barillas, saying, “They were pivotal in making sure the athletes got to their events on time to check in. The coaches would also like to thank Coach Ryan Overby who Lewis said had “a lot to do with why our athletes did so well!”

The next event for the OH Special Olympians will be the the Palm Beach County Games on April 2nd at John I. Leonard.  These upcoming games will determine if a student athlete will continue on to States, which will be held at ESPN Wide World of Sports, quite an exciting opportunity for the OHHS Special Olympic Athletes.

Check out the Olympic Heights Special Olympic Facebook page for photos.