Story and photos courtesy of the Augusta Stars
Members of the Augusta Stars competed in bocce, cycling and golf as part of the Special Olympic Fall Games Nov. 22 and 23 in Valdosta, Georgia. And Raven Allen was named the Special Olympics GA 2024 Female Athlete of the Year.
Thirty area athletes competed in the games that are normally held in October but were delayed due to Hurricane Helene.
In bocce, the Augusta Stars fielded three traditional teams and two unified teams. Unified teams are comprised of no less than 50% athletes and unified partners. A Unified Partner is an athlete without an intellectual disability that is paired with a Special Olympian of similar age and level of skill.
Two traditional teams went undefeated to take the gold. Brandy Storey, Cindy Isbell, Theresa Nixon and Angela Campbell made up one team and Stacey Yarbrough, Mikaela Smith, Matthew Henning, and Wendy Barker made up the other. The third team of Jessalyn Gilmore, Zach Gilmore, Michael Bonnett and Jacob Herndon brought home the silver.
The Unified Teams of Kevin Enright, Erica Rothwell and Eric Barclay came in fourth while Raven Allen, Kim Way, Donny Way and Annette McCaslan brought home the gold.
In the cycling event, athletes compete on a round track that is approximately one-fifth of a mile with a slight uphill that challenges them on one side of the track and a slight downhill to use to their advantage on the other. There are four races to choose from of which athletes can compete in up to two races. They are 500M, 1K, 5K and 10K.
The Augusta Stars athletes compete on both ends (500m and 1K/5K and 10K) as well as intermediate (1K and 5K) based on their capabilities. The results of these races are as follows: For the 500M/1K group: Naomi Hicks won a bronze and placed fourth; Aalyiah Petry won gold and bronze; Ashlyn Price won bronze and silver; Kamaryah Wright won silver and bronze; and Juston Lawton won two silvers. For the 1K/5K group: Jon Lambert won two bronzes; and Corey Hudson won two silvers. For the 5K/10K group: Eric Welch won a silver and gold; Jeffrey Keating won fourth and silver; Chris Powell won bronze and silver; Antonio Rodriguez won silver and gold; and Samual McAllister won bronze and silver.
Doyle Campbell not only competed in 18-hole singles golf, but he represented the Augusta Stars in the Opening Ceremonies Torch Run.
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