Sports

Sports Listing     The Athletes

Track and Field

  
   



The annual track and field meet is the second largest event held by Special Olympics Westmoreland County with over 300 athletes competing annually.  The day
is made into a fun event for everyone with games and entertainment mixed in
with the competitions held in twelve
different events.


These events include:

 50 meter boys race.
 
  • 50 meter run
  • 100 meter run
  • 200 meter run
  • 400 meter run
  • 25 meter wheelchair
  • 35 meter wheelchair slalom
  
  • running long jump
  • standing long jump
  • softball throw
  • high jump
  • shotput
  • pentathlon

 

Athletes can compete in a maximum of three events including any relay except for pentathlon athletes who compete in five separate events for a combined score.  So that the competition is equal, each heat in the twelve events combine athletes of similar age and athletic ability based on the athlete's previous times or distances, statistics maintained by the competition committee.
 
Standing long jump.
Track and Field sports logo.
 

Checking times after a race.

 

  

Over 400 volunteers attend the track and field meet as coaches, timers, lane officials, scorers and athlete "buddies".  Each buddy is given an athlete for the event and escorts the athlete to each of their events while having fun at each of the special events held during the day.


Following the County competition, approximately 40 athletes are selected to compete at the Special Olympics Pennsylvania State Summer Games held at Penn State University in June of each year, which is the largest single athletic competition held in the state of Pennsylvania each year. 
 


Track and Field sports logo.


As in all Special Olympics competitions, awards are given to all competitors in each heat of each event.  Medals are given for first thru third place and ribbons given for fourth thru sixth.

 Awards ceremony.

Special Olympics Westmoreland County also participates in the Healthy Athletes initiative providing  dental exams and other interactive exhibits on living a healthy life style.  These health tests are provided to any registered athlete free of charge, whether or not they compete in the track and field meet.  The Healthy Athletes initiative is just another way that we are committed to providing the best for our athletes.

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