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Olympics inspire Special Olympics athletes

Posted: 4:54 PM Aug 4, 2012
Reporter: Courtney Everett

Olympics inspire Special Olympics athletes (8/4/12)

(WEAU) - Athletes all the way from Milwaukee to Rice Lake were brought to Eau Claire for the final showdown.

"We got all together and said were going to do it and we did, we ended in 3rd place," said Bill Kordus, Special Olympics Athlete.

"We had nearly 1,000 athletes here competing in bocce, tennis, golf, softball and t-ball, and we had about 300 coaches, 120 volunteers so this is a really big event," said Christina Harris, Communications Director.

The event took place at Bollinger Fields and Special Olympics athletes say their quite inspired by the London summer games.

"The athletes here are just displaying just as much courage and sportsmanship and team work as the athletes you see competing at London 2012," said Harris.

One athlete says he's a big fan of Michael Phelps and he uses similar tactics when playing sports like bocce ball.

"He gives me motivation, and I know I don't do swimming or nothing, and gives me motivations and says I can do it," said Kordus.

Meanwhile nerves set in for a few athletes but that didn't keep them from winning a medal.

"The second game kind of made me sweat. The other team I thought they were going to beat us, but we did good though. We came back and we beat them," said Joel Thiede, Special Olympics Athlete.

"When you look at their faces you can just see how excited they are to be at an Olympics competition," said Harris.

Athletes even had their own opening ceremony on Friday night to start the tournament right.

"Oh it’s great, this is my first time ever playing bocce ball," said Thiede.

"You got to learn to work together. It’s a together sport," said Kordus.