By Jon Gulliver
Staff writer
PRESQUE ISLE — It was into the water in Presque Isle Friday as Special Olympians from Eagle Lake to Hodgdon gathered at the indoor pool for an aquatics meet.
Aroostook Republican photo/Jon Gulliver
Justin Cyr of Caribou makes his way across the pool at the Special Olympics Aquatic Competition held Friday in Presque Isle. More than 80 competitors took part in the event.
About 85 athletes participated in 10 events, which included the 15-yard adapted floatation, 15-yard floatation, 30-yard floatation, 15-yard swim on front and back and 25-yard butterfly, backstroke, freestyle and breaststroke.
Indoor Pool Director Sloan Dionne has eight years of helping out the Special Olympics and this year organized the event.
“Just seeing the athletes come together, support one another and have fun makes this a good day,” she said.
An event this big couldn’t be done without a lot of help and support from the Presque Isle Recreation Department, the Presque Isle Indoor Pool staff, Presque Isle and Caribou High School swim teams, MSAD 1 students and the Maine Special Olympics, she said.
As customary at Special Olympics events, the athletes start the competition by reciting this oath, “let me win, but if I can not win, let me be brave in the attempt.”
The Special Olympics mission is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.
The biggest Special Olympics competition in Aroostook County is the spring athletics meet held in May at the Gehrig T. Johnson Athletic Complex at the Presque Isle Middle School.
