Phillip Norris, of Lexington, will make his major competition debut as the Head Swimming Coach for Team Kentucky. Norris, an employee of Mizuho Osi, has been a Special Olympics coach for two years and a swim coach for four years overall. Norris, who coaches the Frankfort Sunfish swim team during the Special Olympics aquatics season, swam collegiately at the University of Florida from 2000-03, earning four All-America honors. He won the Senior Leadership Award in 2003 and several of his times still rank among the Gators’ Top 10 all time, including second in the 100-meter Breaststroke.

Paul Fiehrer, 21, has been a Special Olympics athlete for just three years, but has been swimming for seven. In addition to swimming, Fiehrer competes in basketball and softball. A Covington resident, Fiehrer will be making his first appearance in Special Olympics competition above the State level. Fiehrer, who works at BAWAC Community Rehabilitation Center in Florence, is a freestyle specialist.

Megan McCormick , 20, of Lexington has plenty of major Games experience as a Special Olympics athlete. McCormick also swam at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China, where she won a Silver and a Bronze Medal. She swims both freestyle and butterfly events. McCormick also competed at the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland, as a gymnast. McCormick has been a Special Olympics athlete for 10 years. In addition to swimming and gymnastics, she competes in cheerleading. A trained Special Olympics Global Messenger (public speaker), McCormick has been an advocate both for Special Olympics and the Down Syndrome Association of Central Kentucky. She is currently a student at Bluegrass Community and Technical College.