Regional Special Olympics Track Meet is this weekend

The Merced County Regional Special Olympics Track Meet will be held on Saturday at Merced College’s Stadium ’76.

The event will draw some 90 athletes from Merced, Stanislaus and Mariposa counties. Opening ceremonies start at 9 a.m., with the first event at 9:30 a.m.

Athletes will compete in the mile, 800 meters, 400, and the 50- and 100-meter dashes. They can also participate in field events like the shot put, softball throw and long jump.

According to event organizer Dewayne Young, most athletes compete in five to six events.

“They’re inspiring,” said Young, who also has a son, Dallas, competing. “They lay it all out there. This year, the heats are going to be more competitive, so they’re really going to push each other. They’re great sportsmen, but at the end of the day, they’re competitive as well.”

In the past, the athletes have been grouped by age. This year, they are grouped more by ability. Practice times were used to set up heats, which should lead to competitive events.

The regional is used as a qualifier to send athletes to the state meet held at UC Davis next month. Last year, Merced County sent eight athletes to the state meet.

“We’ve received a ton of support from the community,” Young said.

This story was originally published May 7, 2015 at 5:34 PM with the headline "Regional Special Olympics Track Meet is this weekend."