Special Olympics North Carolina (SONC) athletes returned home from the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, Germany, with medals and ribbons recognizing their athletic achievements. Joining nearly 7,000 Special Olympics athletes from 190 delegations, SONC athletes Philip Blount of Mecklenburg County (athletics) and Erin Cagle of Wake County (artistic gymnastics) as well as coaches James Price of Davidson County (bocce) and Jake Harkey of Watauga County (cycling) represented Special Olympics USA during the World Games, held from June 17 to 25.
Philip Blount competed in the following athletics events at Olympiapark’s Hanns-Braun-Stadion:
- 100m – 5th Place
- Shot Put – Gold Medal
- 4x100m Relay – 6th Place
Erin Cagle competed in the following artistic gymnastics events at Messe Berlin:
- Vaulting – Silver Medal
- Uneven Bars – 5th Place
- Balance Beam – 5th Place
- Floor Exercise – 7th Place
- All Around Competition – 4th Place
Special Olympics USA delegates competed in the following sports during the World Games: athletics, basketball, bocce, bowling, cycling, golf, gymnastics, open water swimming, powerlifting, sailing, soccer, swimming, tennis and volleyball.
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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 40,000 athletes 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.