Maui athletes among Hawaiʻi team members competing at Special Olympics USA Games

Maui athletes are among those competing in the Special Olympics USA National Games in Orlando, Florida. There are 16 people on the Special Olympics Hawaiʻi team, and five Unified Partners from around the state.

These athletes hail from Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, Maui and Hawaiʻi Island and were selected from among 3,400 participants statewide to compete in the eight-day competition.

Maui athletes include:

• Taralyn Fukushima, Swimming
• Jamey Burkett, Swimming
• James Thompson, Bocce

They join more than 3,400 Special Olympics athletes from across the country to compete in bocce, bowling, powerlifting, and swimming, as well as participate in Youth Leadership Programs from June 5-12, 2022.

Today, June 9, team Hawaiʻi, also referred to as Hui O Hawaiʻi, added another two medals to its medal count, bringing to 20 (5 golf, 9 silver, and 6 bronze) the total number of medals earned to date.

Day 4 results include:

Ho’opi’o Balaz & Jon Katsuda, Oʻahu

• Gold, Unified Doubles, bocce

Tim Renken & Marcelino Galdones, Oʻahu

• Silver, Traditional Doubles, bocce

James & Eric Thompson, Maui

• 4th Place, Unified Doubles bocce

“The Special Olympics USA Games celebrates the Special Olympics movement while promoting the ideals of acceptance and inclusion through sport and highlighting the abilities of athletes with intellectual disabilities,” according to organizers.

The cost to send one Special Olympics Hawaiʻi athlete to the USA Games is more than $2,500. To help offset the cost, tax-deductible donations are being accepted at www.sohawaii.org.