First Day of Competition Pays Off in Silver and Gold for Team Kentucky Gymnasts
The first day of competition at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games gave Team Kentucky gymnasts the opportunity to be the first Kentucky athletes to lay claim to medals in the All-Around competition, and all three made their opportunity count.
In the morning session, Versailles gymnast Racheal Conner claimed Team Kentucky’s first medal of these Special Olympics USA Games on the first day of competition in Minneapolis. Conner won the silver medal in the Level 2 All-Around competition with a score of 73.3 points, five behind gold medalist Lucy Schneider of Minnesota. It’s her second All-Around medal in as many trips to the USA Games. She also medaled in 2022.
In the afternoon, Lee Dockins of Russellville did what she has done so many times before and that is win a gold medal at the Special Olympics USA Games. Dockins topped the podium in the Level 3 Senior All-Around with a score of 75.1. It was the highest score among all Level 3 gymnasts in any division. The All-Around gold brings her USA Games medal count to 21 in five trips to the Games.
Also in the afternoon session, Aliya White of Paris joined Conner and Dockins on the medal stand, grabbing the gold medal in the Level 3 Junior Division with a score of 72.6 points. It was the second consecutive All-Around gold for White, who also won in 2022 in Orlando. It was her 10th USA Games medal overall in her third trip to the Games.
The next biggest story of the day came out of the pool where the 4×50-yard medley relay team wowed the crowd with an incredible performance in their preliminary heat. Maddie Brinkman of Union swam the opening backstroke leg followed by fellow northern Kentuckian Carmen Widener from Burlington swimming the breaststroke leg. Crestwood’s Justin Hale had the butterfly leg and then Carson Chaney of Taylorsville swam the freestyle anchor. Chaney turned in a fantastic leg that included a 15.75-second final 25 yards to pull Team Kentucky from behind when he hit the pool to the lead at the turn and, finally, the win. Team Kentucky’s time of 2:32.95 was a full seven seconds faster than their previous best which came at the Brad Harkleroad Memorial State Swim Meet.
It was one of two prelims that Brinkman won on the day. Her 1:33.13 also claimed her preliminary heat of the 100-yard backstroke.
Chaney and Hale each had another race as well today. Hale clocked a 33.67-second time in his 50-yard butterfly preliminary, finishing fifth in his heat. Chaney touched in 1:30.24 to place sixth in his 100-yard backstroke prelim.
Team Kentucky’s Owensboro-based flag football team split a pair of games and nearly came out of the day 2-0 despite falling behind by 20 points in their afternoon game. Team Kentucky knocked off Virginia 39-6 in their opener. Hunter Glenn threw four touchdown passes – two to Zach Lindsey and one to his brother Caden. Lindsey also posted a pair of pick sixes. Team Kentucky fell behind by two scores early in their second game of the day against Pennsylvania before mounting a furious comeback. Hunter Glenn added six touchdown passes – five to Zach Lindsey. Caden Glenn threw for one score and ran for another. Walt Drake added tremendous defense to give Team Kentucky a chance to grab the win, but the comeback came up short as Kentucky fell to Pennsylvania 46-45.
Our University of Louisville-based Unified Basketball team dropped a tough one in its opener against Texas. Team Kentucky led by five at halftime, but couldn’t find a response as a big Texas team pulled away in the second half. Unified partner Collin Ploeger scored Team Kentucky’s first points of the tournament. Kim Hornung had Team Kentucky’s first steal of the game and went on to Player of the Game honors for Kentucky.
Our bowlers and golfers finished their divisioning competitions today.
At the bowling alley, Dillon Meador of Rockfield rolled an impressive 574 series that included five straight strikes to open his first game. Lexington’s Janna Ghibaudy posted a 448 series. Richmond’s Shane Stull had a 374, and Louisville’s bowler Katy King rolled a 367.
Lexington’s Wake Mullins shot an 84 in the 18-hole individual stroke play event as he goes for his first USA Games gold medal after winning bronze in 2018 in Seattle and silver in Orlando in 2022, both in Unified golf. Chris Revay of Fort Mitchell carded a 51 in the 9-hole individual event. And the Glasgow Unified pair of Troy Pickens and James Cheely posted a 68 in the 9-hole alternate shot event.
Track had one active athlete today with Murray’s Damion Frost competing in the running long jump preliminary. His best leap of 4.59 meters placed him fifth in his preliminary heat.
Tomorrow at the USA Games
Tuesday will be the first – and last – day that all eight Team Kentucky sports are in action in Minneapolis.
Bocce competes for the first time as our Unified doubles teams of Megan and Lesley Dineen and Brett and Jeff Thompson will both have their shots at a medal.
Our gymnasts will have an opportunity to add to their medal total when the event finals are held. Each gymnast could win up to four more medals. That will complete the gymnastics competition for the Games.
Swimmers Maddie Brinkman, Carson Chaney and Justin Hale will all be making their first finals swim of the Games. Brinkman and Chaney in the 100-yard backstroke and Hale in the 50-yard butterfly. Hale will also swim the 200-yard individual medley preliminary. All four of those races will stream live on ESPN+.
All four bowlers will go for gold in the singles competition.
Our golfers will switch from divisioning to competition for the first of their three rounds.
Sydney Graf of Louisville, Shelbyville’s Miguel Mendoza and Kaylen Toews from Murray will all see their first action at the track. Toews will compete in the running long jump preliminary. Graf and Mendoza will both run in preliminary heats of the 100-meters. Mendoza will add the shot put preliminary.
Flag Football will have its third game of the Tournament when they face off against Nebraska.
Unified Basketball will be back on the court facing off against Colorado.
For more information about Team Kentucky or our participation at the USA Games, contact Mark Buerger at mbuerger@soky.org or 502-695-8222.