The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games concluded on June 26 in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, ending a week of competition for 3,000 athletes and 1,500 coaches representing all 50 states.
Special Olympics North Carolina’s (SONC) delegation was made up of nearly 70 athletes, Unified partners, coaches and support personnel. The SONC athletes competed in athletics, basketball, bocce, bowling, Unified cheerleading, golf, powerlifting, swimming and tennis. Team Special Olympics North Carolina represented the state with determination, sportsmanship and pride on the national stage.
Prior to departing for the USA Games, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein presented each member of the SONC delegation with a Laurel Wreath award during a sendoff dinner. The award recognizes North Carolina citizens who have made outstanding and unique contributions to sports. The Governor also issued a proclamation declaring June 20 as Team SONC Day across the state.
The Special Olympics USA Games, which are held every four years, was supported by more than 10,000 volunteers and cheered on by approximately 75,000 fans. Team Special Olympics North Carolina earned medals across nine sports with 33 medals, including 15 gold, six silver and 12 bronze medals.
View Team SONC results here.
To ensure fair competition, athletes were placed in competition divisions based on age, gender, and ability level. Gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded to the top three finishers in each division, followed by fourth- through eighth-place ribbons.
Athletes, Unified partners and coaches represented the following North Carolina local programs: Brunswick, Cabarrus, Cumberland, Davidson, Durham, Franklin, Gaston, Guilford/High Point, Iredell, Lake Norman, Mecklenburg, New Hanover, Onslow, Rutherford, Stanly, Surry, Union, Wake and Wilkes counties.
Special Olympics Unified Sports® is an inclusive sports program that combines an approximately equal number of Special Olympics athletes and Unified partners on teams for training and competition.
The Special Olympics USA Games kicked off with a spectacular Opening Ceremony on the campus of the University of Minnesota that featured the Parade of Athletes, the lighting of the cauldron and live musical performances by Demi Lovato and Jon Batiste.
Athletes from across the nation came together to celebrate the power of sport, inclusion and ability on one of the country’s largest sporting stages. Throughout the week, Team SONC athletes competed against the nation’s best while demonstrating courage, perseverance, and sportsmanship. Athletes also participated in opportunities that promoted health, leadership and connection through experiences such as the Healthy Athletes program, which offered free health screenings and wellness services to competitors.
About Special Olympics North Carolina
Since 1968, the organization has used the transformative power of sports to improve the lives of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Nearly 53,000 athletes and Unified partners in North Carolina inspire thousands of coaches, sports officials, local program committee members and event organizers involved in Special Olympics statewide. SONC offers year-round training and competition in 20 Olympic-type sports on local and state levels as well as health and wellness initiatives to improve the health status and increase access to community health resources for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Youth become agents of change through Unified Champion Schools, an education and sports-based program created by Special Olympics to build an inclusive environment among youth with and without intellectual disabilities as well as empower them to become youth leaders and create change in their community. Engage with us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
