Athletes from across the state converge on the MU campus tonight to “Feel the Glow,” the theme of this year’s Special Olympics Missouri State Summer Games.
The opening ceremony, on Stankowski Field at 7 p.m., precedes two days of competition and celebration of sports and camaraderie.
Matt Montgomery, a 17-year-old swimmer and tennis player with Downs Syndrome, is one of the Columbia athletes who will compete.
Matt, a member of the Rock Bridge High swim team this past fall, has the advantage of going into his Special Olympics training in top shape. Approaching his 10th year competing in the games, Matt said he feels “real great” and that “my coach will help me work.”
Matt’s mother, Lynn Montgomery, volunteers as a tennis coach for the Special Olympics. Training and competition opportunities are offered for men, women, boys and girls with mental disabilities age 8 and above in 19 Olympic-style sports.
“It’s challenging, but extremely rewarding,” Lynn Montgomery said. “It’s not like some of the regular sports teams; they are so excited to be there. There’s a different atmosphere. They encourage each other.”
More than 1,000 volunteers will be on hand to set up, time events and cheer for the athletes participating in the five events.
Volunteer Stephanie Burstin described the duty of those standing on the sidelines as, “constant clapping and encouraging and basically acting like the Energizer Bunny.”
In addition to competing, athletes have access to free health screenings in dental care, flexibility and heart disease, provided by the Missouri Dental and Physical Therapy Associations and Boone Hospital Center’s WELLAWARE services.
All athletes will wear blue ribbons to show their thanks for the support of law enforcement. This year’s events mark the 20 year anniversary of the statewide Law Enforcement Torch Run, which helped to raise more than $1 million for the not-for-profit Special Olympics last year and is hoping to contribute more for this week’s games.