Special:
Exceptionally great. Important. Unique. Special is something to strive for. The ultimate compliment. A word we can all hope to be called. not for the things we cannot do. But for all the things that we can.
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Special is the ultimate compliment to describe once-in-a-lifetime players, epic moments of teamwork, and extraordinary plays. Join athletes and allies in reclaiming the word with a limited-edition sweatshirt that defines its true meaning. All proceeds support the Special Olympics mission to celebrate those of all abilities and foster the acceptance and inclusion of all people.
Madison “Maddog” Madory
Madison Madory, standing strong at 4ft 6in, is known as “Maddog” for her powerlifting feats. In addition to being able to deadlift 1.5 times her bodyweight, some of Madi’s outstanding personal records include bench pressing 80 pounds and squatting 88 pounds. Madi has also taken on an athlete leadership role within Special Olympics, learning how to coach other athletes -- especially in powerlifting, and she's learning about the "Special Olympics Healthy Athletes" initiative. In addition, she’s a successful fund-raiser for Special Olympics, teaming up with the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.
JOshua Olds
Joshua Olds, who has been with Special Olympics Florida for seven years, has already conquered 17 triathlons. The 17-year-old athlete also has many impressive personal records, such as swimming 1,000 meters (over half a mile) in open water in under 15 minutes, as well as finishing Swim Miami 1 mile at 22:45; Lucky’s 2022 Golden Mile at 20:53:64; and 2023 Swim Miami 5K at 1:07:08. Joshua's inspired by Jamaican swimming great Alia Atkinson, five-time Olympian and world-record holder. “She is an amazing swimmer,” he says. “I want to swim my breaststroke like her.” A very disciplined and determined athlete, Joshua's never been afraid of hard work. His favorite quote? “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.
Miracle Downs & Samuel Tien Ho
These Special Olympics Tennessee athletes are all about dedication and determination to achieve their goals. When Miracle got started, the 50-yard dash was her top event; now she's training for -- and completing -- 5Ks. She also competes in basketball, bowling, and bocce. Sam has been a multi-sport Special Olympics athlete for seven years, competing in bowling, bocce, and track and field. He's always striving to get even better.
Get involved and make a difference
Special Olympics offers many ways to take part. The first step to getting involved—whether you want to be an athlete, Unified partner, coach, or volunteer—is to connect with your local program for more details.
