Special Olympics Missouri State Summer Games return at Hickman HS

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Special Olympics Missouri State Summer Games are back! More than 700 athletes, coaches and volunteers participated in the event on Saturday at Hickman High School.

The athletes competed in multiple sports - including track & field, volleyball, swimming and powerlifting.

"The Games were sidetracked by a tornado in 2019 and the COVID pandemic in 2020," Special Olympics Missouri President and CEO Susan Stegeman said in a release. "So, our athletes have really been looking forward to this."

Along with competition - SOMO also provided health and wellness screenings for all of the athletes free of charge.

Jesse Crooks traveled all the way from Kirksville, Mo. to compete in this year's games. He said it was hard not having the games the last two summers, but he's thrilled to have the event back this year.

"It's fun. You get healthy and excited every day that you come out to do Special Olympics," Crooks said. "It's awesome here. It's like a big family coming together for a barbecue, and it means a lot to this family and it means a lot to everybody here."