BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) – The Special Olympics USA games have announced who will be competing for Team Kentucky in the 2026 competition.<\/p>\n
Five people from the Bowling Green area secured a spot for next June. Three athletes, one unified partner and one staff coach are already preparing for this national event.<\/p>\n
One participant who qualified for golf, Troy Pickens, remembers how he felt receiving the good news.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had mail come in about a couple weeks ago and then I had opened it, and I cried a little bit,\u201d said Pickens.<\/p>\n
Another qualifier who will be competing with bowling, Dillon Meador, has already made himself a routine to prepare for next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been trying to come out every week from 10 to 4 and maximizing the bowl your brains out here,\u201d said Meador.<\/p>\n
Unified Partner for Pickens and Coordinator for the Special Olympics in Barren County, James Cheely, couldn\u2019t be happier for his partner.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you know that your partner and you have qualified for an event, it just runs through you how proud you are of what they\u2019ve put into participation,\u201d said Cheely.<\/p>\n
Having been apart of Special Olympics and seeing others compete in the USA games, Cheely is excited for this moment to be able to compete with something he enjoys.<\/p>\n
\u201cFour years ago, I had an opportunity to go watch my kids participate in Unified Golf in Orlando, so now the old man gets to bring up the rear and go participate himself,\u201d said Cheely.<\/p>\n
Meador wants to remind those trying something out for the first time not to give up right away; things don\u2019t always come naturally the first couple of times.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was not good when I first started, only bowled like a 50 average and now I\u2019m up to like a 175, 200 average,\u201d said Meador. \u201cAnytime you think you can\u2019t do something, just try it and practice makes progress. Nobody can ever be perfect, but practice makes progress 100%.\u201d<\/p>\n
The USA games are set to take place in Minneapolis, Minnesota in June 2026.<\/p>\n
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