COLUMBIA -- Fifty six schools from Richland, Lexington & Fairfield Counties met Friday in Columbia to take part in the Special Olympics Spring Track & Field Games.
Athletes compete in a variety of events from the 500 meter dash to the shot put, proving themselves after weeks and months of training.
Kelly Garrick, Sports Director for Special Olympics SC feels that Friday's event means a variety of things.
"Inclusion, it means bravery, courage, friendship," Garrick says. "It means competition and training, all of those things describe the Special Olympics."
Garrick considers this a year of growth, between increased awareness and new grants this year.
"We've probably added two to three hundred athletes this year alone," she adds.
The next stop for the winners is the state competition at Fort Jackson in May.
The national competition will be in Nebraska this fall.
For more information on the Special Olympics, visit their website.
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