Mitchell athletes eager to compete at Special Olympics USA Games
· Yahoo Sports
Jun. 17—MITCHELL — Four Mitchell athletes are preparing for the opportunity of a lifetime as they head to Minneapolis to represent South Dakota at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games from June 20-26.
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The week-long event will bring together roughly 3,000 athletes and 1,500 coaches from all 50 states to compete in 16 team and individual sports. Supported by nearly 10,000 volunteers and 75,000 fans, the Special Olympics USA Games will be showcased at venues across the Twin Cities, including the University of Minnesota and the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota.
Among the South Dakota delegation's 43 athletes are Mitchell residents Scott Goldammer, Brandon Wolff, Riley Wolff and Michael Cohu, each ready to compete on the biggest stage in Special Olympics competition.
Goldammer, Brandon Wolff and Riley Wolff will join forces in the slow-pitch softball team competition at Airport Park within the National Sports Center in Blaine. The trio will compete in seven-inning games during group-stage play June 22-23 before advancing into medal-round competition June 24-25.
The softball tournament will feature approximately 255 athletes competing in two divisions: traditional slow-pitch softball and Unified slow-pitch softball, where athletes and partners without intellectual disabilities compete together. At the USA Games, teams will consist of 10 players.
While the Mitchell softball trio will rely on teamwork, Cohu will take on the national stage in an individual setting as a swimmer at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center on the University of Minnesota campus June 22-26.
Cohu will compete in freestyle and backstroke events, while also joining teammates in a four-person medley relay. The swimming competition will feature approximately 206 athletes across 17 events. Competitors from around the country will race in distances ranging from 25-yard sprints to 500-yard endurance events, as well as relay races.
For Cohu, earning a spot at the USA Games is a major personal accomplishment.
"This is truly an honor," Cohu said. "It will be a new experience, and I know it's not going to be easy. There's going to be some really good swimmers there, and I will have to finish out on top because it's going to be a challenge."
Minnesota earned the right to host the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games after winning the bid in 2022. The event will mark unforgettable memories for athletes and families, while celebrating the abilities and achievements of competitors from across the nation.
For Mitchell's four representatives, the journey to Minneapolis is about far more than competition itself. It is an opportunity to build friendships and inspire others while representing their community on a national stage.
"I've never been to the USA Games, nor the World Games, so when I made it, I was like, 'Oh, this is going to be a lot of fun,'" Cohu said. "I will be doing this for the community of Mitchell, the fans, the high school and elementary schools here, LifeQuest, and we're all excited to meet new people and have fun."