Athletes shine, have fun at Summer Games

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ORONO – “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

That is the Special Olympics oath and it was on full display during the Maine Summer Special Olympics at the University of Maine track Friday.

To a lot of people, a race is to win – an opportunity to feel the glory of first place and the happiness of being rewarded a medal.

Maine’s Special Olympians were showing Friday that they enjoyed those feelings also, but were mainly showing that they enjoy having fun and doing the best they can.

“Come on Daniel,” Ryan Allen, 18, said to teammate Daniel Butler, 16, as they prepared to take their positions on the track for the 4×100 meter relay.

With excitement in his voice, Allen took Butler’s arm, leading him to where they needed to go.

Both Allen and Butler are on the Brewer relay team and are from Brewer High School. Their other teammates included Matt Sawyer, 16, and Jeremy Berry, 17. All of them seemed ready and excited to start the relay.

“We do the relay because it’s cool and we love it”, said Allen and Berry.

One could definitely tell they loved it. Their enthusiasm for just this one event was outstanding.

When it was Brewer’s heat for the relay, the four competitors gave it their all. Allen was first leg, Sawyer second, Butler was third, and Berry was the anchor.

Their efforts paid off as they received a third-place medal.

“We’re a good team,” Berry said at the end of the race. “It’s tiring, but that’s all right!”

Francie Butler, coach for the Brewer team and mother of Daniel, said the relay team follows the Special Olympics oath.

“We don’t necessarily pick the fastest running kids, we pick the ones who are dedicated competitors,” she said. “Dedication, as well as speed, is important.”

Dedication is one thing Allen proudly showed off. When he first did the relay in Special Olympics a few years ago he was forced to walk. The coaches were worried he would not be able to finish the race.

Since then, Allen has dropped 84 pounds, and was able to run in the 4×100 relay race.

The Brewer Special Olympians loved the chance to compete, but mostly “the thing with a lot of them is that they just like being here,” Butler said.

Many of the athletes seemed to have the same positive outlook on their events. They showed no negative feelings even if they were last to cross the finish line. There was still a smile on their faces.

Some of the athletes warmed up for their events in the traditional ways, but Keith Draper of Green was a bit unique.

Draper, 32, was warming up to run the mile for the John F. Murphy team. His warmup included the usual routine of some jumping jacks and leg stretches along with an unusual boast from the hard rock musical group, ACDC.

“The music pumps me up, gives me energy,” said Draper, whose headphones seemed like a natural part of his team uniform.

He said that he wished he could listen to music while running, but it wasn’t allowed. But, he does have it on before every event he does. Those events included shot put, the running long jump, and the 4×100 relay.

Two participants who stood out not only for their efforts in the mile but for their colorful T-shirts were Justin Cleveland, 18, and Sam Beverage, 19, both of Rockland.

The two teammates wore tie-dyed T-shirts – proudly displaying the orange, black, and white colors of the Rockland High School Tigers.

Clevland has been participating in Special Olympics for nine years and Beverage for four years.

“We come because it’s a lot of fun,” said Beverage.

Last year, Beverage went to Dublin, Ireland, as he qualified for the World Special Olympics. He competed in the 100-meter freestyle and earned a second-place finish.

“It was a lot of fun. It was amazing,” he said.

On Friday, Beverage and Cleveland helped each other out while doing a grueling mile run.

Cleveland said that his favorite event is the mile because it was challenging, but it was Beverage’s first mile. Rockland High coach and teacher, Colleen Rickard, said Beverage had always wanted to do the mile, and he had been training quite a bit.

“He wanted to do something intense since it’s his last year here. Sam just recently graduated from high school,” she said.

The Special Olympics continue Saturday and Sunday at UMaine.