Team Kentucky’s Special Olympics athletes prepare USA Games

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Fifty-eight Kentucky athletes are about to go for gold on the Particular Olympics USA Video games in Orlando, Florida.

Workforce members drove from all around the state to assemble for a send-off Friday night time. Athletes can be competing in inventive gymnastics, bocce, bowling, flag soccer, golf, swimming, monitor and subject and Unified basketball.

Wake Mullins can be competing within the 18-hole Unified alternate shot competitors together with his stepdad Dennis Gaines. The 2 will each play, switching off who hits each different shot.

“We’re finest buddies on the golf course and he is such one of the best enjoying companion you could possibly ever ask for,” stated Gaines. “He is all the time constructive, he is all the time smiling and if he hits a foul shot, it is nonetheless good to him and also you go on to hit the subsequent shot.”

Kevin Charges can be competing in monitor and subject occasions; shotput, lengthy bounce and a relay race. Whereas competing is on his thoughts, so is soaking within the probability to satisfy new folks.

“Having the ability to be round people who have the identical wants as me, have the identical skill and are capable of do issues like I’m,” stated Charges.

Athletes will spend the subsequent week in Orlando competing. It is going to be Charges’ first time on the USA video games, however a second journey for Gaines and Mullins, who had some success in 2018.

“I all the time membership him and inform him what membership to hit, however we obtained on a par three and I requested him what membership to hit right here and he stated ‘Properly simply hit it within the gap,’ so that is what I did I had a gap in a single within the event, that is the one one which’s ever occurred,” Gaines stated.

Whereas it’s a week forward filled with competitors, most are wanting ahead to creating reminiscences.

“I’d love for him to stroll out with that gold medal round his neck, but when we don’t do this ,he’s nonetheless a gold medal winner to me,” stated Gaines.