Dillon Pressnell, right, looks toward friends and family as they cheer for her in the 25-meter walking race Friday. Presnell recently graduated from Ardmore High School.

The only thing brighter than the sun rising above the East stands at Athens Stadium Friday were the smiling faces of the children participating in the Limestone County Special Olympics.

Dozens of those faces filled the stadium and faced one another in friendly competition on Larry McCoy Field.

The Limestone County Special Olympics is a communitywide event for everyone no matter their mobility or age. Athlete ages range from 8 years old to adult, all with special needs.

This year’s event saw more than 100 volunteers and special athletes donning bright yellow shirts that read, “Not All Superheroes Wear Capes.”

Michael Kyle, a 15-year-old Tanner student, started the day with a win in the 200-meter wheelchair race. With an Alabama cap draped over his head, Kyle zoomed around the stadium as the crowd cheered.

Before racing off to collect his medal, Kyle made his only comment to the media: “I’m real fast.”

After recently getting his new wheelchair, Kyle’s mother said the teenager did doughnuts around his yard and has been looking forward to racing at the Special Olympics.

At the other end of the stadium, a group of eager athletes get ready to participate in the 50-meter walk. Battling a strong western wind, Kelli Gooch and Johnathan Garrett stride confidently down the track as as the crowd cheers them on. When they aren’t smiling at the crowd, the pair swap competitive glances at one another as they race toward the finish line.

For Garrett, a 13-year-old West Limestone student, this is his favorite day of the year. After finishing his race, he quickly runs toward Reed Blankenship, a standout athlete from West Limestone, for a high-five.

For most of the year, Garrett watches Blankenship, his favorite athlete, compete for West Limestone in football and basketball. But on this day, it’s Blankenship and all the other student-athlete volunteers who are here to cheer on Garrett and his fellow Special Olympians.

About Special Olympics

According to the official website, the Special Olympics motto is: Through the power of sports, people with intellectual disabilities discover new strengths and abilities, skills and success.

Special Olympics athletes find joy, confidence and fulfillment on the playing field and in life. They also inspire people in their communities and elsewhere to open their hearts to a wider world of human talents and potential.

The local event is organized by Dr. Jessica Lynn, exceptional services coordinator for Athens City Schools along with her partners from Limestone County: Annie Granger, Jessica Tyler and Terra Hill.