Minnesota Special Olympians Fare Well At USA Games

Twin Cities athletes brought plenty of hardware home from the 2010 USA Special Olympics National Games in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The 94 members of Team Minnesota earned 91 medals in 43 unique events at the 2010 National Games. The team included sixteen track and field athletes; eight aquatic athletes; a male and female full-court basketball team; eight bowlers; eight golfers; two gymnasts; eight bocce athletes; a softball team and a volleyball team. A complete list of Team Minnesota’s results, including team rosters, can be found at http://www.specialolympicsminnesota.org/National_Games_Athlete.php.

The 2010 USA National Games was the largest sporting event in the history of Nebraska, bringing together 2,666 athletes, 746 coaches and 6,300 volunteers. Athletes from 48 states won a total of 4,923 medals in 13 sports: aquatics, basketball, bocce, bowling, flag football, golf, gymnastics, powerlifting, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field and volleyball.

==EAGAN==

EAGAN, Minn. – July 28, 2010 – Shawn Herron of Eagan, Minn. earned a silver medal as part of Team Minnesota at the 2010 Special Olympics USA National Games in Lincoln, Neb., July 18–23.

Herron, 31, competed with Minnesota’s softball team to take second place in Division 2 competition. Minnesota advanced after victories against Florida and Kentucky but fell to Louisiana in the gold-medal game.

==ST PAUL==

Ona Gordenier, Cassie Leland, Dean Lukesh, Jesus Ortega, Dan Powers, Tonia Patterson and James Thompson, all of St. Paul, Minn., competed as part of Team Minnesota at the 2010 Special Olympics USA National Games in Lincoln, Neb., July 18-23.

Gordenier, 33, Leland, 23, and Patterson, 25, earned a Division 1 silver medal as part of Team Minnesota’s female basketball team. Minnesota defeated Michigan to advance in their division but fell to Kentucky in the gold-medal game.

Ortega, 26, won two gold medals and a bronze medal in track and field competition. He won a gold medal during the Division 7 50-meter run with a time of 7.9 seconds. Ortega also earned a gold medal as part of the Team Minnesota 4x400 relay team, along with teammates Jerad Magnuson of Austin, Minn., Kievin Odero of Minneapolis and Nick Vandenburgh of Oak Grove, Minn. He earned a bronze medal in Division 23 of the 100 with a time of 14.83 seconds. Ortega also competed in the 200 in Division 19, placing fifth with a time of 31.96 seconds.

Powers, 22, brought home two gold medals and a silver medal as part of the Minnesota bowling team. Powers earned a gold medal during the singles competition in Division M08 with a three-game combined score of 311. He also won a team gold as part of the Minnesota male bowling team in Division M2 and took home a silver medal with partner Ken Moore of Burnsville, Minn. in the male doubles competition in Division M5.

Thompson, 29, and Lukesh, 29, won a silver medal competing as part of Minnesota’s Division 1 male basketball team. After beating Delaware, Minnesota lost to Tennessee in the final game with a 16-25 finish.

==OAKDALE==

OAKDALE, Minn. – July 28, 2010 – Desiree Greene, of Oakdale, Minn., won a gold medal as part of Team Minnesota at the 2010 Special Olympics USA National Games in Lincoln, Neb., July 18–23.

Greene, 36, competed with the Minnesota golf team. She shot 70-67-68 for a total score of 205 in the nine-hole stroke play golf competition, earning her a Division F2 gold medal. Greene’s nine shot lead edged out golfers from Illinois and Indiana.

==NEW BRIGHTON==

NEW BRIGHTON, Minn. – July 28, 2010 – Michael Madden of New Brighton, Minn. won a gold medal as part of Team Minnesota at the 2010 Special Olympics USA National Games in Lincoln, Neb., July 18–23.

Madden, 43, competed with Minnesota’s golf team. He shot 49-50-45 for a total score of 144 in the nine-hole stroke play golf competition, earning a Division M2 gold medal. Madden’s seven-stroke victory edged out golfers from Texas and Connecticut.

==MAPLEWOOD==

MAPLEWOOD, Minn. – July 28, 2010 – Michael Lawrence, Sheri Munson and Eve Newman, all of Maplewood, Minn., competed as part of Team Minnesota at the 2010 Special Olympics USA National Games in Lincoln, Neb., July 18–23.

Lawrence, 30, competed as part of Minnesota’s golf team. He shot 65-66-72 for a total score of 203 during the nine-hole stroke play competition, earning a silver medal in Division M8.

Munson, 37, and teammates Jennifer Heller, Malinda Erickson and Amanda Vala earned gold in the Division 16 team bocce competition. The team swept their division, finishing with a record of 3-0. Munson also competed in doubles bocce competition and took home a bronze medal in Division 41.

Newman, 26, participated as part of Minnesota’s female bowling team. She earned fourth place in Division F09 singles competition with a three-game combined score of 215. Newman also placed seventh in Division F8 doubles competition. She also competed as part of the female bowling team. The team placed sixth in Division F2.

==LAKE ELMO==

LAKE ELMO, Minn. – July 28, 2010 – Lisa Peterson of Lake Elmo, Minn. earned a silver medal as part of Team Minnesota at the 2010 Special Olympics USA National Games in Lincoln, Neb., July 18–23.

Peterson, 22, competed with Minnesota’s softball team to take second place in Division 2 competition. Minnesota advanced after victories against Florida and Kentucky but fell to Louisiana in the gold-medal game.

==FRIDLEY==

FRIDLEY, Minn. – July 28, 2010 – Josh Trapp and Jake Allen, both of Fridley, Minn., earned medals as part of Team Minnesota at the 2010 Special Olympics USA National Games in Lincoln, Neb., July 18–23.

Trapp, 24, and Allen, 24, competed with Minnesota’s softball team to take second place in Division 2 competition. Minnesota advanced after victories against Florida and Kentucky but fell to Louisiana in the gold-medal game.

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