Oswego Athlete Wins 4th Place In Special Olympics Bocce Game

OSWEGO, IL — An athlete from Oswego won fourth place in the Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota.

Randy Mertes, 35, competed with his partner, Tommie Knudsen, of Normal, in a male doubles game of bocce to earn the standing. The athlete also placed fourth in the male singles competition for bocce Thursday to advance to the championship game Friday.

It's Mertes's first time competing in the Special Olympics Games. He is among the 31 Chicagoland athletes who earned medal placements throughout the games, as of Friday morning, tournament officials said.

The Special Olympics games, running June 20-26, have brought 3,000 athletes, 1,500 coaches, 10,000 volunteers and 75,000 fans from across the country to Minnesota.