More than a medal: Michigan duo wins gold in golf at Special Olympics

For the primary time ever, a Michigan staff received the gold medal in golf on the Particular Olympics. Their chemistry collectively has been a very long time within the making. Kurt and Alikhan have been associates for 33 years. In case you spend a spherical of golf with AliKhan and Kurt, their chemistry is as clear because the blue sky on an ideal summer time day.

“You had one of the best shot once more,” Jeanna Trotman requested Alikhan. “Kurt says that occurs typically?” Alikhan responded with out hesitation, “sure it does.”

Kurt and Khan compete in stage two on the Particular Olympics. In Orlando in June, that is the place they received gold. It’s a 9 gap unified spherical. One golfer is the standard athlete. That’s Khan. And the opposite golfer is the unified companion, that’s Kurt.

“He’s my finest pal,” Alikhan mentioned of Kurt. “He’s my finest brother that I’ve.”

“I’ve identified him for a very long time and I’ve by no means seen him happier,” mentioned Kurt. “The final two weeks he’s been actually on cloud 9.”

Socializing and sport had been each a far stretch from AliKhan. Not to mention successful a gold medal. As an toddler, Khan was recognized with Microcephaly. Based on the Mayo Clinic, it is a situation the place his mind stopped growing and his cranium stopped rising. It has led to cognitive and developmental points. Microcephaly is a uncommon neurological situation by which an toddler’s head is way smaller than the heads of different youngsters of the identical age and intercourse. Generally detected at beginning, microcephaly typically happens when there’s a downside with mind growth within the womb or when the mind stops rising after beginning.

Microcephaly might be brought on by a wide range of genetic and environmental elements. Youngsters with microcephaly typically have developmental points. Though there isn’t any therapy for microcephaly, early intervention with speech, occupational and different supportive therapies could assist improve a toddler’s growth and enhance high quality of life.

“From what you’ve been via, has life been type of robust for you?” Jeanna Trotman requested Alikhan. Quietly and with a straight face, he responded that it has.

However the recreation of golf has eased that burden for AliKhan. He is been {golfing} since he was 5 and mentioned he loves it.

AliKhan’s mom mentioned his MRI outcomes present the a part of the mind that controls social expertise and gross motor expertise are essentially the most underdeveloped. However to know Alikhan, is to know one thing greater than science is at work. You possibly can see his persona shine from three holes away.

The duo’s gold medal offers them an opportunity to compete in Berlin subsequent June on the 2023 World Video games, if they’re chosen. Kurt says it might be a dream come true to proceed to compete alongside his pal.

“He’s on the rostrum, its his factor I’m simply alongside for the experience,” recalled Kurt. “They put the gold medal on him, then they put mine on, he leaned in, and gave me the largest bear hug. He whispered in my ear, ‘I really like you a lot, Kurt.’ And that’s once I thought that’s what that is about. It was exceptional.”

AliKhan has destroyed the chances, simply as he destroys his drives. A gold medal, 33 years within the making. In Kurt’s phrases, exceptional, is correct.