Enthusiastic athletes from across the state competed in the 2013 Special Olympics Southern California Summer Games at Cal State Long Beach last weekend.
More than 1,100 athletes and 300 coaches from throughout Southern California came together to compete in various Olympic sports at the pool, track, basketball courts and softball field, where the roar of the crowds could be heard from all event pavilions.
Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) President and CEO Bill Shumard said more than 15,000 people attended the event, which was open to the public.
“It is very inspirational and motivational for our athletes to be able to compete in front of venues full of people cheering them on,” Shumard said.
Lorna Murakami — a four-sport star, having competed in aquatics, basketball, volleyball and bocce ball — won a silver medal in the bocce ball category this year along with her coach, Adam Christin. The softball field had been converted into a bocce ball field for the competition.
“I was happy that we got the award, and I had fun,” Murakami said. “I was proud of myself.”
Christin, a Special Olympics bocce ball coach and longtime supporter of the event, said the athletes gave their all as they competed.
“The athletes are just amazing,” Christin said. “It was do or die for them, and they picked up on their own experiences in competition to pull through with what they needed to do.”
SOSC is a non-profit organization offering athletic training and competition to individuals with intellectual disabilities. More than 3,000 volunteers and various sponsors including Vons, Disney and KTLA 5 put together the event, according to the SOSC website.
Although SOSC reaches out to a large number of athletes, Shumard said his goal for the future is to get more athletes involved, as he believes there are many more athletes to reach out to in Southern California.
“Sports do many things that are good and bad,” Shumard said. “Special Olympics is everything that is good and right in sports because it emphasizes the courage, respect3 and joy exemplified through our athletes.”