After more than a year of practice, training and preparation, 43 Kentucky Special Olympics athletes finally officially saw they hard work pay off when the 2006 Special Olympics USA National Games opened Sunday night in Hilton Coliseum on the campus of Iowa State University.
The Opening Ceremonies was a star-studded event, hosted by Iowa native Tom Arnold and featuring music by Hootie and the Blowfish, but perhaps none of the stars involved in the Ceremonies got as big an ovation as Edward Barnaby, the Special Olympics athlete who played Johnny Knoxville’s roommate in the 2005 Special Olympics themed movie The Ringer.
Competition begins at the Games for Team Kentucky on Monday, July 3 with several athletes in action in preliminary events. However, Matt Minning of Taylor Mill will be in the running to win one of the first medals of the Games in 10,000-meters on Monday morning.
|
Team Kentucky enters Hilton Coliseum during
Opening Ceremonies of the 2006 Spcial Olympics USA National Games. |
|
The 2006 Special Olympics USA National Games will draw more than 3,000 athletes, 2,000 coaches, 8,000 volunteers and 10,000 family members and spectators for a tremendous week of competition and much more. A Festival Village will be available throughout the Games, which will provide activities, food and Healthy Athletes screenings. There will also be several events associated with the National Games, including a youth forum, a research symposium and a Congressional field hearing.
See Photos from Sunday's Training Session
See more photos from the Opening Ceremonies
Bowling
Singles Competition 1:30 (CDT); all bowlers competing
Team Kentucky Archive
