Terra wins gold at Special Olympics

Terra, 15, won the gold medal in the 25-meter race that was held on Saturday at the two-day event.

"He loves it," Ethan's mother, Melissa Terra, said of her son's reaction to winning the gold medal. "He loves the bling. He's very proud. We're all very proud."

Melissa said there was an obstacle that Ethan had to overcome before the race. His goggles broke before a relay race and they had to coax him into swimming without them in that race, which he did. But before the 25-meter race in which he won the gold medal, he was given a free pair of prescription goggles by Optineeds which was providing the goggles to Special Olympics athletes at the event. In the first race that Ethan wore the goggles, he won the gold medal.

"It was like a miracle and it helped him win the gold," Melissa said of the new goggles.

Ethan also competed in the 50 meter relay race and the 50 meter individual race in the swimming competitions and won ribbons in those races.

Ethan and his family attended the races on Saturday and Sunday in Cambridge. Melissa, her husband Bob, and Ethan's older brother, Shane Terra, went to Harvard to cheer him on in the swmming races.

"It was a long weekend for the family, but it was worth it," Melissa said.

Ethan qualified for the state Special Olympics at a regional competition where he won three gold medals at Bridgewater State University earlier this year.

"He worked really hard for it, so we're really proud of him," Melissa said.

Melissa said this was not a qualifying year for the national Special Olympics, so Ethan's gold medal at the state Special Olympics did not qualify him to move on. She thinks there may be qualifying events for the national Special Olympics next year and would seek community support if Ethan is able to qualify for that event. She said there is also an international Special Olympics event.

Ethan is part of the Greater New Bedford Special Olympics. He swims for a team called the Narwhals.