HUNTSVILLE, Ala (WHNT) — More than 750 athletes from across Madison County competed Tuesday morning at the annual Special Olympics track and field meet.
“We have the running events,” said Joni Haas. “We have standing jump and running jump, and the softball throw… which is also if you throw it too far you have to do javelin.”
Haas has worked with Special Olympics for more than 20 years. She is the current chairman for track and field and worked hard to make sure the meet was a success.
Last week, she told News 19 they were in desperate need of volunteers to make the day a reality, but she said the community showed up right when they needed it.
“We had a lot of outpouring of support,” she said. “We have actually more than we needed to volunteer, and so that’s what makes today’s a success.”
Amy Gilmore was one of the athletes who competed today, and she shared her favorite parts of the competition over the past few years.
“I like seeing my friends, and being here, and karaoke and hula hooping,” she said.
She said she had a lot of support there from family members and friends.
“Both of my parents, my mom and my dad, and then my helpers,” she said.
Jeremy told me he was running in his mother’s honor, as well as for other loved ones.
“For my mom upstairs, and another one is for my girlfriend,” he said.
Haas said putting on an event like this one takes a village, but the look on the athletes’ faces makes it all worth it.
“It is a labor of love,” she said. “I mean, you just can’t not do it.”
There were 770 total athletes that competed at today’s meet, and officials with the Special Olympics committee announced it was the largest crowd they had seen in 40 years.
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