On Tuesday, Jan. 30, 17 Special Olympic athletes from Nassau, Suffolk and Hudson Valley competed in the Special Olympics. It was held at the Andrew Stergiopoulos Ice Rink at the Parkwood Sports Complex, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. All of the athletes are winners and take home a medal but the athletes who qualify continue to compete in the state games which take place in Syracuse at the end of February.

Fred Ondris, facility director, and Jessica Razzano-Krimko, head coordinator of ice skating events for Special Olympics competition had been planning the event since September. They have worked closely with Seth Falley, director of program outreach & training, and Tim Flynn, program director of the competition of the Special Olympics/New York organization, to run this wonderful event, once again, at the A. Stergiopoulos Ice Rink. This is the third year that the Great Neck Park District has hosted the Special Olympics at the Parkwood Sports Complex.

The Special Olympic Athletes ranged in age from 7 to 40 years of age. There were 10 events that comprised the competition and included skills competition, freestyle and speed skating. All of the participants were winners! Medals were received by all of them. The athletes that qualified will be able to enter the state games that will take place at the end of the month.

Great Neck's Erin Lipinsky received a gold medal for Men's Skill Level II (age 20+) event in the Freestyle Program. He qualified for the Special Olympics competition in Syracuse. We will be keeping our eyes open for his big win there.

All of the athletes that compete deserve a big round of applause. They work hard to compete and have a great time in the process. With good reason, they are all proud and stand by the Athlete Oath: "Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."