Dockins Makes it a Clean Sweep of Gold in Berlin

After taking her first World Games rhythmic gymnastics All-Around Gold Medal yesterday, Russellville rhythmic gymnast Lee Dockins completed her set with a clean sweep of the individual event Gold Medals today at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin, Germany.

Opening with the ball event, Dockins posted a score of 13.688, 1.263 points better than Silver Medalist Aylin Marin of Costa Rica with Theodora Lera of Greece took the Bronze. Next in the hoop Dockins’ 13.775 was nearly two points better than Marin with Lizette Niura Zurita of Bolivia taking the Bronze. In the clubs, Dockins posted a 13.525 with Marin and Niura Zurita again taking the Silver and Bronze, respectively. The final event of the Games proved to be the closest Dockins scoring 13.163 in the ribbon, 1.200 ahead of Marin, with Niura Zurita again grabbing Bronze.

Today’s four Gold Medals bring Dockins’ Berlin medal count to five and her career World Games count to an incredible 21. She has now won 10 World Games medals in rhythmic gymnastics (2023 & 2019 in Abu Dhabi) and 11 in artistic gymnastics (2007 in Shanghai, 2011 in Athens and 2015 in Los Angeles). The five Gold Medals Dockins won in Berlin mark her first Gold Medal sweep at any World Games. The most Gold Medals she has won at any previous World Games was three in both Athens and Los Angeles.

It was a challenging day on the links for Lexington golfer Wake Mullins and Unified partner Dennis Gaines at Bad Saarow Golf outside Berlin, Germany, at the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games. Playing in the top flight of the 18-hole Unified alternate shot competition, the pair encountered too many of Bad Saarow’s 133 notorious bunkers and shot a 50 on their opening nine (the course’s back nine). They recovered with their best round of the week on the front nine (43) to finish with a 93 for the day.

Today’s score gives them a three-round total of 266 and leaves them in the Bronze Medal position in their flight, 14 shots behind second-place Frederik Bech and partner Thomas Andresen of Denmark. Americans Pryce Holcomb and partner Les Holcombe from Alabama lead the flight at 249.

Tomorrow at the World Summer Games

Tomorrow marks the final competition of the week for Kentucky’s Special Olympics USA athletes, although coaches Mary Fehrenbach (gymnastics) and Debbie Ogden (swimming) will still have work to do.

Mullins and Gaines will play their final round of the 18-hole Unified alternate shot tournament at Bad Saarow. Their tee time has not yet been posted, but it will likely be at 10 am or 10:10 am Berlin time or 4 am or 4:10 am ET.