Mar 30, 2009 1:55 pm US/Mountain
Everyone's A Winner At Colorado Special Olympics
Reporting
Stan Bush
COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. (CBS4) ―
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Athletes participate in the Colorado Special Olympics in Copper Mountain.
CBS
On a picture perfect Sunday in March it's easy for some to escape to Copper Mountain. But for others, just getting there takes a year of hard work.
"They have to have won a gold at the area level," explains Mindy Watrous, CEO of Special Olympics, Colorado. "Then they are invited to come to the state competition."
At the Special Olympics State Championships, athletes are skiing through gates and stomping through snow on a level playing field.
"They get to showcase their abilities, not their disabilities," says Watrous. "They get to compete against people of the same caliber that they are so they actually have a true sports competition."
"It's a lot of fun," say skier Erin Robin. "It's been a while since I've done this, but it's fun skiing."
For disabled athletes this is as good as it gets for winter sports and they can even surprise the people who know them best.
"We had no idea she would be doing this when she was a little girl," said Susie Doherty, a mother of a participant. "It's wonderful."
There are awards to be won at these games, but finishing well can be just as good.
The competition at the Special Olympics is very serious, but inside the community of disabled skiers and snowshoers there's more camaraderie than rivalry.
"It was good," Robin said. "It was beautiful and it was good."
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