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Special Olympics return to Wenatchee

The Wenatchee World - 3/6/2023

Mar. 6—NCW — Just after noon Saturday, months of preparation and practice for the Country Strong Athletes cheer squad was finally displayed in front of a full house.

A group of Spokane-area athletes, smiles shined on their faces as they described the sport they loved.

"I had a blast," said squad member Hannah Jordan, who added that the bow pompoms were one of her favorite parts of cheerleading. Saturday was Jordan's second year competing. "We like to do it."

For the first time since 2020, Washington State Special Olympics Winter Games returned to Wenatchee. Friday saw a polar plunge fundraiser in the afternoon and the opening ceremonies at the Town Toyota Center in the evening.

Interest in this year's competition was high, with 11% more athletes registered than usual.

In addition to Country Strong in the packed Wenatchee High School's small gym were 150 athletes ranging from young to old and several hundred more spectators, all to watch the fastest-growing competition at Special Olympics Washington.

The sport was added to the Special Olympics in a limited capacity in 2018, with teams from the west side of the state competing. In 2020, five teams took part.

This year, 15 teams from around the state competed in individual and team events. The teams spanned the state — from Kelso to Yakima to Joint-Base Lewis McChord to Moses Lake.

Cheer wasn't the only competition at the school. Down the hallway, the school's main gym was one of six courts across Wenatchee and East Wenatchee hosting basketball games this past weekend. Basketball saw 495 athletes over two days play in a tournament of games.

Athletes descended on the area for a collection of events from Mission Ridge Ski & Board Resort and to Leavenworth. Many sports included unified teams in which "helper" athletes assisted athletes with physical or mental disabilities.

Back in the small gym at WHS, a cheerleader named Joseph dazzled the crowd with somersaults, flips and other acrobatics, all before the official start of a routine set to Justin Bieber's "Baby." As the music played, he broke out an entirely new routine with dance moves to a lively audience.

As the judges tallied their scores, a group of local cheer squads, who also performed during breaks in the competition, teamed up with the Olympians for a dance party.

After the judges deliberated, Joseph was awarded a first-place medal in an individual category for his effort. During the awards ceremony, Country Strong received second place in its division on Saturday afternoon.

While there's no doubt the games brought out the competitive nature of the athletes, winning wasn't the most important outcome.

"It's all about having fun," said Country Strong team member Claudia Rood.

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(c)2023 The Wenatchee World (Wenatchee, Wash.)

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