Athletes, Unified partners swim for glory, inclusion at Special Olympics invitational

Inside the Rosen Aquatic Center on Saturday, the shouts and cheers of coaches and loved ones in the gallery echoed as the athletes swam end to end, as part of Special Olympics of Florida’s annual state invitational.

More than 300 athletes took part in the two-day event, taking place months after it was postponed in October and November as Hurricanes Ian and Nicole swept through Florida.

The swimmers train throughout the year starting in the spring ahead of local and regional events held in the fall. Many athletes, like Abigail Adams of Longwood, train in multiple sports throughout the year.

“Gymnastics, cheer, triathlons, surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, swimming, cycling,” Adams, 23, listed.

Diagnosed with Down syndrome, Adams has been training with Special Olympics of Florida since she was 8. Her favorite event is the triathlon, because, she said, “It’s a challenge.” On Saturday, she won gold in the 100- and 200-meter freestyle, and silver in the 200-meter relay.

Throughout her 15 years with the organization, the support she’s received from fellow athletes and coaches, including her mother MaryAnne Adams, has encouraged her to take on those sports and cultivate a large social media following under the name, Abigail the Advocate.

“It’s all a learning experience,” she said. “It’s like a family.”

Also part of many athletes’ support networks are the Unified Sports partners, neurotypical athletes who help train and compete alongside those with special needs. Their contributions are often underscored, but their work helps with welcoming athletes into the sport by training with people of similar age, said Apryle Nickson, a coach with Special Olympics Florida and Saturday’s competition director.

“Inclusion is a vital part of what we do,” said Nickson, also a retired Orange County adaptive physical education teacher. “Everybody learns from everybody, not just our athletes but the athletes working with them. It’s a lot of patience, a lot of understanding.”

Kiyana Levins, 24, has trained as a Unified partner for 10 years and has traveled around the state with Special Olympics from Plant City in support of the athletes she works with.

It’s work she has been surrounded by since she was a child, with a mother working as a special education teacher and Sandy Dunham, her coach and a retired teacher.

“It’s been great,” said Levins, an ESE aide at Plant City High School. “I love to see how they progress over time, especially if it’s the same athletes that come out again. They are joyful and inspiring.”

“We don’t have to coach that into her, she’s just really, really good as a Unified partner,” Dunham said. “Being involved in Unified Sports opens up your heart so much to everything around you, not just in Special Olympics.”

The use of Unified partners is less common in swimming than in other sports under Special Olympics Florida’s umbrella, something the organization hopes to change in the future, Nickson said. Fourteen participated in this year’s swim invitational.

It’s part of their mission of promoting inclusion in adaptive sports, a cause that has made their athletes and others feel more visible. MaryAnne Adams, Abigail’s mother, said she sees the results of their work, and is grateful for the support her daughter and other athletes receive as part of the organization.

“Just to see the Unified partners cheering them on,” she said, “it’s really special.”

creyes-rios@orlandosentinel.com

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