Athletes Return Home From Special Olympics USA Games with 16 Medals, 10 Ribbons

Special Olympics Connecticut athletes excelled and impressed at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota last week. They arrived back in Connecticut over the weekend, bringing home 16 medals - including 8 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze - along with 10 ribbons after competing in bowling, swimming, track & field, Unified basketball and Unified softball. They were supported by coaches and volunteers including Head of Delegation Cara Manforte of Wolcott and Assistant Head of Delegation Ria Violano of Hamden. The event that drew more than 3,000 competitors from across the country.

In addition to the sports competition, students and coaches who are involved in Special Olympics Unified Sports® at Lyme-Old Lyme High School participated in the Athlete Leadership program at the Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota by working with participants in the Special Olympics Young Athletes program. For more information about Team Connecticut for the USA Games, visit soct.org and follow Special Olympics Connecticut on Instagram and Facebook.

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Results

Track & Field:

• Shelby Silk of North Haven - bronze medal in the 50M relay, 5^th place ribbon in the 4x100M relay and 6th place ribbon in the 100M
  
• DJ Green of Bristol - 5th place ribbon in the 100M, 5^th place ribbon in the 1500M and 7th place ribbon in the 1500M relay
  
• Julie Baker of Waterbury - gold medal in the 100M walk, silver medal in the 400M walk and 5th place ribbon in the 4x100M relay
  
• Raishaun Holloway of West Hartford - gold medal in the 100M, gold medal in the 200M and 5^th place ribbon in the 4x100 relay

Bowling:

• Paul Fournier of East Hartford - gold medal in team competition, gold medal in male doubles and 4th place ribbon in singles
  
• Jennifer Carlson of Marlborough - gold medal in team competition, 5^th place ribbon in female doubles, 5^th place ribbon in singles
  
• Ryan Cook of Terryville - gold medal in team competition, gold medal in male doubles and 6^th place ribbon in singles
  
• Kelly Smith of Glastonbury - gold medal in team competition, 5^th place ribbon in female doubles and 8^th place ribbon in singles

Swimming:

• Alexandra Fruman of Greenwich - gold medal in 50yd butterfly, silver medal in 50yd backstroke and bronze medal in the 50yd butterfly
  
• Aedan Tenbrunsel of Higganum - gold medal in 50yd backstroke, silver medal in 50yd freestyle and silver medal in 4x50yd freestyle relay
  
• Sean Bogart of Hamden - gold medal in 100yd medley, silver in 4x50yd freestyle relay and 6^th place ribbon in 100yd freestyle
  
• Selina Derungs of Simsbury - gold medal in 100yd freestyle and silver medal in 4x50yd freestyle relay

Unified Basketball:

• Team members are athletes and Unified Sports® partners who participate in Special Olympics Unified Sports® at Oxford High School - bronze medal

Unified Softball:

• Team members are athletes and Unified Sports® partners who participate in Special Olympics community-based softball program and represent Canton, Hamden, Manchester, Meriden, New Britain, New Haven, North Branford, Norwich, Wallingford, Waterbury and Vernon - silver medal

*Individual medal count is higher because of group wins (relay events)

About the Special Olympics USA Games

The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games—held June 19-27, 2026, across Minnesota’s Twin Cities with sports competitions at the University of Minnesota and the National Sports Center in Blaine—is a national celebration of inclusivity, changing perceptions and the ability of the human spirit rising above limitations. The USA Games, with co-presenting partners Jersey Mike’s Subs and United Healthcare, will be one of the biggest U.S. sporting events of the year, drawing tens of thousands of fans to celebrate the ability of over 3,000 incredible athletes from all 50 states as they compete in 16 Olympic-type team and individual sports. As a state with a long history of championing inclusion, the USA Games now bring an unrivaled opportunity to Minnesota to spark new energy around the Special Olympics movement and create a lasting legacy of positive change throughout the country.

About Special Olympics Connecticut

Special Olympics Connecticut provides year-round sports training and competition opportunities for nearly 14,000 athletes of all ages with intellectual disabilities and Unified Sports® partners - their teammates without disabilities. Through the joy of sport, the Special Olympics movement transforms lives and communities throughout the state and in 200 countries around the world by promoting good health and fitness and inspiring inclusion and respect for people of all abilities, on and off the playing field. (www.soct.org)

Partner Sponsors: The Connecticut Elks Association, Enterprise, ESPN, Eversource, Foxwoods Resort Casino, the Knights of Columbus, the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Connecticut, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, the Mohegan Tribe, NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut, Pratt & Whitney – an RTX business, and Webster Bank. Year-Round Suppliers: Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, Foxwoods Resort Casino, Hearst Connecticut Media Group, N&D Sports, Pepperidge Farm, and WORX.