Glory, struggle mark Special Olympics meet

By Jim O’Neal
The Gazette

CEDAR RAPIDS – David Lewis suffered a spasm when the official dropped the flag to start the boys’ wheelchair race Saturday morning.

David, a 12-year-old with cerebral palsy, couldn’t get a grip on the hand rims of his wheelchair. He was still at the starting line when his sole opponent crossed the finish line 25 meters away.

A lesser athlete would have quit.

But David persevered, grappling for command of his muscles, willing himself forward, lurching by inches. He repeatedly veered out of his lane and corrected his direction, squeezing and shoving with hands gloved in worn yellow leather. Fans clustered along the Coe College track, clapping and shouting encouragement.

Straining forward in ragged thrusts, his eyes set and his teeth clenched, David sparked a burst of applause when his chair hit the finish line.

For his efforts, he was rewarded with a blue ribbon, a succession of hugs and kisses, and a memory of setting a personal best on a sunny Saturday.

David, who lives in rural Amana and attends Cedar Rapids Prairie Middle School, was one of nearly 500 athletes who competed in the 35th annual Spring Games of the East Central Area of Special Olympics.

The competition included swimming races and track and field events.

While volunteers clocked and measured the athletes’ achievements, some of the best tales were not told in the tape. They were told in smiles and whoops and proud exhaustion.

Nancy Rife, a teacher at Transition Center, a Cedar Rapids program that teaches life skills to people with developmental disabilities, said the Special Olympics allow participants to share in the struggles and glories of the sports world.

“It shows them that they can do these things,” Rife said. “It gives them a sense of being a winner – and it also teaches them how to lose and be happy for each other.”

Drew Hudson, a member of the Transition Center team, exemplified that spirit, grinning as he told of his loss to teammate Sean Harschnek on Saturday after weeks of training.

“When we first came out here, I could beat this guy,” said Hudson, 21, nodding toward Harschnek.

“I just got beat by this rascal by this much,” he said, holding thumb and forefinger a pencil’s width apart. Then, spreading his arms like a crocodile yawn, he added, “and he’s this much bigger!”

Harschnek, 20, was humble.

“We’ve always got a little competition going, but we just try our best and try to have fun,” he said.

 

Caption:
Laura Segall/The Gazette

Chris Baur-McGuire, 19, of Iowa City, smiles as he takes his final step toward the finish line of the 25-meter walk during the 35th annual Spring Games of the East Central Area of Special Olympics, held Saturday at Coe College. The day’s winners will compete May 20 to 22 at the Special Olympics Iowa State Summer Games in Ames.

This story ran in The Gazette of Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, Iowa, on April 18, 2004.