The nearly 1,200 athletes and more than 600 volunteers who took part in the 2005 State Summer Games, held June 3-5 at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, were treated to another golden weekend on the campus that has been home to the Games for the past 11 years.
Athletes and coaches from more than half of Kentucky's 120 counties and representing the entire state flocked to Eastern Kentucky University to compete in Track and Field, Swimming, Soccer, Gymnastics and Powerlifting -- the five sports that have made up the Summer Games for the past several years. They also came for the fun and camaraderie of Opening Ceremonies, Olympic Town presented by TrinSoft and the Victory Dance.
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Members of the Law Enforcement Torch Run carry the "Flame of Hope" into the arena with help from a Stewart Home School athlete. |
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Summer Games festivities once again got underway early on Friday June 3 with the beginning of the Kentucky Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg at Stewart Home School in Frankfort. Close to 100 law enforcement volunteers from throughout the state joined together to guide the Special Olympics "Flame of Hope" from Frankfort to Richmond for the Summer Games Opening Ceremonies. For the first time in two years, members of three Military Police Companies from Fort Campbell joined the festivities. Fort Campbell has long been a part of Kentucky Torch Run events, but had missed the Final Leg in 2003 and 2004 as they were deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Final Leg group made stops in Georgetown, Lexington and Winchester before making their 2.8-mile run into Richmond.
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Johnson County athlete Marlana VanHoose sings the National Anthem at Opening Ceremonies. |
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Despite being forced inside for the second time in as many years, the 2005 Summer Games Opening Ceremonies provided a festive beginning to the weekend. This year, the Ceremonies were highlighted by the participation of Special Olympics athletes in many roles that had been performed by celebrities or other guests in the past. Tom Kenny from Action News 36 emceed the ceremonies, but he was joined on stage by four Special Olympics Kentucky athletes. The National Anthem was sung beautifully by nine-year-old Johnson County athlete Marlana VanHoose. Lexington Global Messenger Andrew Browning delivered the invocation and Megan McCormick — another Lexington Global Messenger — gave the welcome address. Hardin County Global Messenger Jessica Haggerty led the athletes in the Special Olympics oath. And while the move inside did eliminate the traditional lighting of the cauldron, it did not keep the Torch Run volunteers from bringing the Flame of Hope into the arena.
Opening Ceremonies finished with a performance from somebody who knows a thing or two about going for gold records — Elvis Presley. Actually it was Elvis impersonator Quentin Flagg who brought the house down performing as the young Elivs.
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Antonio Salinas receives his silver medal following the 1,500 meters on Friday night. |
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For the first time in many, many years the first medals of the night were also awarded on Friday following the running of the 1,500 and 5,000-meter events. Ronnie Lee Todd of Campbell County Adults won the first gold medal of the Games, taking the 1,500 meters in a time of 8:34.9. Ten-year-old Antonio Salinas of Louisville finished second in 11:22.41. The 5,000 meters produced one of the Games' most amazing performances in the first hours after they opened. Matt Minning of Scott High School won the men's 5,000 meters in a blazing time of 19:55.74. Ann Locke of Hardin County won the women's 5,000 meters in 25:15.08
Athletes, family members and volunteers packed the Eastern Kentucky Campus on Saturday for what ended up being a beautiful day for competition. More than 9,000 total medals were awarded on Saturday to athletes who ranged in age from eight- to 74-years-old.
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The Louisville Wizards claimed their first soccer gold medal, winning the lower division. |
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The soccer competition opened with a lot of excitement as the Stride Strikers and the Pitt Academy Kodiaks couldn't decide their game despite playing double overtime. The game ended in a shootout with Pitt winning 3-1 on their way to the Medium Division gold medal. The Louisville Wizards won their first ever state championship in the Lower Division and the Northern Kentucky Rebels captured the gold medal in the High Division.
At the powerlifting venue, four athletes lifted more than 300 pounds in their combined (bench press and deadlift) competition. Chad Fogle of Owensboro lifted an astounding 374.77 pounds to win his division. Willie Kirby of Bowling Green lifted 310.80 total pounds, but just snuck by James Hovenstine of Henderson to win the gold medal in their division. Hovenstine lifted 292.06. One of the day's most impressive performances came from 118-pound Heath Logsdon. Logsdon competes only in the bench press, as he has no use of his legs, but in that one event he pressed nearly twice his body weight at 202.47 pounds.
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Willie Kirby of Bowling Green
completes his deadlift on his way to
a gold medal in powerlifting. |
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There are so many people whose efforts are vital to making the SUmmer Games a first rate event for our athletes and we would love to thank them all individually, but that would be almost impossible. We truly thank all our volunteers, including our venue directors — Patrick Woods, Track; Marcia Hayden, Developmental Track; Tim Cahill, Swimming; Frank LaManna, Powerlifting and Mary Fehrenbach, Gymnastics — and all of the timers, scorers and awards volunteers who help make our athletes' experience so positive at these games.
Special Olympics would also like to thank out Summer Games sponsors — year-round partners Texas Roadhouse, Kroger and the Law Enforcement Torch Run; state sponsor Kentucky Department American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary; Eastern Kentucky University; VIP Reception and Olympics Town presenting sponsor TrinSoft; VIP Reception host O'Charley's; McDonald's of Richmond, which provides breakfast and lunch for all of our volunteers; Kentucky Elite Gymnastics, which hosts that competition and Commonwealth Community Bank.
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Sabrina Schmidt of Lexington completes her uneven bars routine as coach Mary Fehrenbach looks on. |
For more information about how you can volunteer at the 2006 State Summer Games, contact Kim Satterwhite at 800-633-7403 or 502-695-8222. For information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Kelly Hutchinson at 800-633-7403 or 502-326-5002.
The 2006 State Summer Games are tentatively scheduled for June 2-4, 2006 at Eastern Kentucky University.
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A swimmer prepares to go for gold. |
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