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Mar. 29—"Let me win. If I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."
Those words — the Special Olympics oath — are what Shannon Robinson, 39, of Decatur, said to officially open the Sectional Special Olympics Swim Meet on Friday at the Aquadome Recreation Center. Dozens of Special Olympians and their families came out for the event.
The sky was overcast through the see-through dome of the rec center as the Special Olympians chopped and sliced their way through lap after lap of competitive swimming. Participants came from Morgan, Coffee/Dale, Colbert/Lauderdale, Baldwin and Madison counties. Last year the competition included a regional race. The state Special Olympics meet will be held this year at Troy State University. There are also USA and world games.
Robinson was looking forward to the 100 individual medley Friday, in which she would have to swim the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle strokes during her leg.
"I like to come to Special Olympics because I like to see my friends and because I like to cheer everyone on," she said. "I like to nourish our bodies with the food they provide and I like helping everyone."
Brianna Dempsey, 30, of Danville, was preparing for her race and said of the event, "I feel free to swim wherever I want to swim, and there are lots of people around, so it makes me feel at home."
Bailey Hutto, 25, of Huntsville, said she wanted to beat a record and get a real high score in her swim competition, which required her to swim the butterfly and the breaststroke. She has apparently been successful in her swim career.
"I have gold, silver and bronze medals in my room," she said.
In one lane, Fred Johnston Sr. was cheering on Fred Johnston Jr. as he swam. They had come to the meet from Gulf Shores. The elder Johnston had a bit of wisdom to impart Friday: "God doesn't give you more than you can handle but he sure knows how to keep you challenged."
In another lane, in another race, 8-year-old Millie Thomas of Florence held up a poster she had made for her cousin Leslie Thomas of Florence, who was then swimming her leg of a relay. The poster bore the words "Go Leslie," and Millie held it up for Leslie to see as she came to the turn.
Stephanie Mikell, 43, was the swimmer's swimmer at the games. She was the only person to swim the 400 meter freestyle race, and her mother, Sharon Mikell, said she could swim forever. Sharon said she had to place someone in the water at the final turn so her daughter, an endurance swimmer, would know when to stop.
"Otherwise she would just keep on swimming," Sharon said.
Stephanie has been swimming since she was a baby, her mother said. A doctor told Sharon it would improve Stephanie's muscle tone and a heart problem. It did.
"She's been swimming like a fish ever since," her mom said.
Perhaps the swimmer who most captured the spirit of the games Friday was Jamie Sims of Decatur, who stopped midway in his swim to rise out of the pool, give two people high fives and get back in the water and carry on with his race.
— [email protected] or 256-340-2361
Continue reading...
Those words — the Special Olympics oath — are what Shannon Robinson, 39, of Decatur, said to officially open the Sectional Special Olympics Swim Meet on Friday at the Aquadome Recreation Center. Dozens of Special Olympians and their families came out for the event.
The sky was overcast through the see-through dome of the rec center as the Special Olympians chopped and sliced their way through lap after lap of competitive swimming. Participants came from Morgan, Coffee/Dale, Colbert/Lauderdale, Baldwin and Madison counties. Last year the competition included a regional race. The state Special Olympics meet will be held this year at Troy State University. There are also USA and world games.
Robinson was looking forward to the 100 individual medley Friday, in which she would have to swim the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle strokes during her leg.
"I like to come to Special Olympics because I like to see my friends and because I like to cheer everyone on," she said. "I like to nourish our bodies with the food they provide and I like helping everyone."
Brianna Dempsey, 30, of Danville, was preparing for her race and said of the event, "I feel free to swim wherever I want to swim, and there are lots of people around, so it makes me feel at home."
Bailey Hutto, 25, of Huntsville, said she wanted to beat a record and get a real high score in her swim competition, which required her to swim the butterfly and the breaststroke. She has apparently been successful in her swim career.
"I have gold, silver and bronze medals in my room," she said.
In one lane, Fred Johnston Sr. was cheering on Fred Johnston Jr. as he swam. They had come to the meet from Gulf Shores. The elder Johnston had a bit of wisdom to impart Friday: "God doesn't give you more than you can handle but he sure knows how to keep you challenged."
In another lane, in another race, 8-year-old Millie Thomas of Florence held up a poster she had made for her cousin Leslie Thomas of Florence, who was then swimming her leg of a relay. The poster bore the words "Go Leslie," and Millie held it up for Leslie to see as she came to the turn.
Stephanie Mikell, 43, was the swimmer's swimmer at the games. She was the only person to swim the 400 meter freestyle race, and her mother, Sharon Mikell, said she could swim forever. Sharon said she had to place someone in the water at the final turn so her daughter, an endurance swimmer, would know when to stop.
"Otherwise she would just keep on swimming," Sharon said.
Stephanie has been swimming since she was a baby, her mother said. A doctor told Sharon it would improve Stephanie's muscle tone and a heart problem. It did.
"She's been swimming like a fish ever since," her mom said.
Perhaps the swimmer who most captured the spirit of the games Friday was Jamie Sims of Decatur, who stopped midway in his swim to rise out of the pool, give two people high fives and get back in the water and carry on with his race.
— [email protected] or 256-340-2361
Continue reading...
