Alameda Islanders Win Special Olympics Swim, Track Honors

The Alameda Islanders competed and won honors in the Special Olympics Northern California (SONC) Regional Spring Games on Saturday, May 10, at Freedom High School in Oakley.

Twelve counties fielded delegations—Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Marin, Napa, San Joaquin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sonoma and Solano. The meet was a joint swim/track and field event, with lunch furnished for the athletes, coaches, and volunteers by SONC. Opening ceremonies featured the Special Olympics Athlete Oath, pledged by the participants: “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

Alameda Post - Alameda Islanders swimmers pose for photos — **Left**: Dania Leyva (far left) and Lauren Dare (far right) stand with other swimmers. **Right**: Sara Alexander. Photos by Patricia Bowen.

Alameda Post - three swimmers stand with one coach or mentor — Robert Erion (second from the left) stands with other athletes and a supporter. Photo by Patricia Bowen.

Coach Susan Tremain led the Islander swimmers and was recognized for her 49 years of service to the Special Olympics. Coaches Richard Wright and Cliff Owyoung (track and field) and Pat Bowen and Stephanie Grissom (swimming) assisted in organizing the team’s heats.

In a spirit of competition and sportsmanship, Special Olympians competed in a variety of swimming skills and stroke events—assisted and unassisted swim, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly, and freestyle. Alameda Islanders Sara Alexander, Stephanie Ashby, Lauren Dare, Danny Dodson, Robert Erion, Dania Leyva, and Marletta Williams received gold, silver, and/or bronze medals in their heats.

Alameda Post - Alameda Islanders athletes line up at the starting line on a track. — Alameda Islanders get ready on the track. Photo by Charyn O’Young.

Alameda Post - four men pose together for a photo with medals around their necks — (L to R) Paul Archuletta, Jesus Ramos, Dhonny Au, and Pablo Ramos. Photo by Charyn O’Young.

In track and field, Special Olympians competed in various contests—sprints, walks, softball throw, and turbo javelin throw. Alameda Islanders Paul Archuletta, Dhonny Au, Bernadette Hanson, Erica Jacob, Jesus Ramos, Pablo Ramos, Danny Thach, and Steven Thach received gold, silver, and/or bronze medals in their events. Despite injury which precluded all but turbo javelin, Bernadette Hanson received a gold medal for her perfect throw. Erica Jacob won golds for two assisted walk events and softball throw. Many medals for first, second, and third place were awarded.

Alameda Post - in one photo, an Alameda Islander poses with multiple medals, and in the other photo, an athlete stands at the #1 position on a podium — **Left**: Stephanie Ashby. Photo by Patricia Bowen. **Right**: Erica Jacob. Photo by Danielle Drouillard.

The Alameda Islanders practice many sports in six-week cycles—bowling, bocce ball, soccer, softball, swimming, and track and field, to name a few. The culmination of each sport is a regional event such as the May 10 meet at Freedom High School in Oakley.

The Alameda Post extends congratulations to all of the athletes.