Competitors bring home medals, honors from Special Olympics N.C.

Published 11:52 am Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Contributed

Nearly 1,800 athletes and Unified partners participated at the 2019 Special Olympics North Carolina Summer Games May 31-June 2.

They competed in seven sports at Raleigh-area locations in addition to joining together for an Opening Ceremony at PNC Arena and Olympic town and victory dance on N.C. State’s campus.

Laney Rinehart and Anita Stirewalt show off their medals at the state games.

Athletics

Participants from Stanly County and their achievements in track and field events include:

• Wesley Barnes: 100-meter dash (silver medal), 200-meter dash (seventh-place ribbon) and running long jump (fifth-place ribbon);

• Isaiah S. Bennett: 100-meter dash (fourth-place ribbon), 200-meter dash (gold medal) and running long jump (fourth-place ribbon);

• Shiren Brewer: 100-meter dash (fourth-place ribbon), 200-meter dash (silver medal) and running long jump (gold medal);

• Milli’on Armante Colson: 100-meter dash (gold medal), 200-meter dash (gold medal) and running long jump (gold medal);

• Charles Alex Cunningham: 100-meter dash (gold medal), 200-meter dash (fifth-place ribbon) and running long jump (gold medal);

• Micah A. Cunningham: 100-meter dash (fifth-place ribbon), 200-meter dash (fourth-place ribbon) and running long jump (fourth-place ribbon);

• Braylin Furlow: 25-meter dash (bronze medal), 50-meter dash (bronze medal) and softball throw (fifth-place ribbon);

• Nicholas Hannah: 25-meter dash (gold medal), 50-meter walk (gold medal) and softball throw (bronze medal);

• Jamie Lee Hathcock: 100-meter dash (bronze medal), 200-meter dash (bronze medal) and running long jump (fourth-place ribbon);

• Caden Lemly: 25-meter dash (silver medal), 50-meter walk (gold medal) and softball throw (gold medal);

• Kristian Little: 100-meter dash (seventh-place ribbon), 200-meter dash (bronze medal) and running long jump (gold medal);

• Kevin Ray Lundy: 100-meter dash (fifth-place ribbon), 100-meter walk (gold medal) and shot put (fourth-place ribbon);

• Samuel Poplin: 25-meter dash (silver medal), 50-meter walk (gold medal) and softball throw (gold medal);

• Laney Rinehart: 25-meter dash (silver medal), 50-meter dash (gold medal) and softball throw (silver medal);

• Tracey J. Roberts: 25-meter dash (fourth-place ribbon), 50-meter walk (bronze medal) and softball throw (bronze medal);

• Elliot Schmehel: 100-meter dash (silver medal), 200-meter dash (bronze medal) and running long jump (bronze medal);

• Anita Dawn Stirewalt: 25-meter dash (gold medal), 50-meter dash (silver medal) and softball throw (bronze medal);

• Angela Beth Townsend: 25-meter dash (bronze medal), 50-meter walk (silver medal) and softball throw (silver medal);

• Jason W. Wood: 100-meter dash (fifth-place ribbon), running long jump (silver medal) and shot put (silver medal);

• Colby M. Yow: 100-meter dash (sixth-place ribbon), 200-meter dash (sixth-place ribbon) and shot put (fifth-place ribbon);

• Stanly Red Lightning was a track relay team. Isaiah S. Bennett, Milli’on Armante Colson, Kristian Little and Colby M. Yow won gold medals for the 4×100-meter relay.

Swimming

Competitors from Stanly County and their achievements in swimming events include:

• Michael Francis: 100-yard backstroke (gold medal), 100-yard freestyle (bronze medal) and 200-yard backstroke (gold medal);

• Adam Hupp: 100-yard backstroke (participation ribbon), 100-yard freestyle (gold medal) and 200-yard backstroke (participation ribbon);

• Angela Kirk: 100-yard freestyle (gold medal), 200-yard freestyle (gold medal) and 500-yard freestyle (gold medal);

• Braden Poplin: 25-yard freestyle (bronze medal) and 50-yard freestyle (silver medal);

• James Cody Alan Stout: 100-yard backstroke (participation ribbon), 100-yard freestyle (fourth-place ribbon) and 200-yard freestyle (silver medal);

• Justin Watkins: 100-yard freestyle (gold medal), 200-yard freestyle (gold medal) and 500-yard freestyle (gold medal);

• Caleb Wilson: 100-yard backstroke (gold medal), 100-yard freestyle (gold medal) and 100-yard individual medley (participation ribbon);

• Stanly Justice League was a swim relay team. Michael Francis, Adam Hupp, Braden Poplin and Caleb Wilson received fourth-place ribbons in the 4×25-yard freestyle.