Area athletes compete in Summer State Games

MT. PLEASANT — Local athletes practiced for a minimum of six weeks prior to the Special Olympics Summer State Games and did not let the wet weather in late May stop them from winning medals and ribbons in swimming, bocce, track and field and bowling.

Despite heavy rains, a Lapeer delegation of 27 competed in the games at CMU. John Wilson, Lapeer County Community Mental Health and coach for the bocce team, reported that the opening ceremonies were under sunny skies, but everyone was drenched during the competition the next day. Prior to the state games, Lapeer and Genesee athletes competed for ribbons at the Area 13 competition at Carman-Ainsworth. Lapeer County Community Mental Health staff accompanied eight athletes who competed primarily in bocce ball. Six athletes went on to the state Summer Games, with a strong showing in medals for bocce.

Joan Urbschodt and Mike Willis took a gold medal in the modified doubles; Richard Greyhek and Walter Brown also won the gold in Bocce doubles. Suzanne Ball and Tina Jones took a silver medal in their doubles bocce competition. Urbschodt, Jones and Brown also took gold in their singles event. Greyhek and Ball took silver in singles competition. Ball took a bronze medal, while Willis took a 4th place ribbon in singles.

Other area athletes competed in swimming, track and field, and bowling, winning a total of 46 medals and 13 ribbons for the Lapeer Area.

Special Olympics was founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968 to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Details: www.somi.org. — M.M-W.