Special Olympics New Jersey Summer Games to be held this weekend
Athletes to Compete in State-Level Competition
EWING TOWNSHIP, NJ (Mercer County) – Special Olympics New Jersey (SONJ) has announced the highly anticipated marquee event of the competition year, SONJ Summer Games, will be held this weekend at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ).
Summer Games, which is the culmination of months of hard work by thousands of athletes, will take place from Friday, June 7 to Sunday, June 9.
Nearly 2,000 athletes and Unified partners from across the state of New Jersey, representing all 21 counties divided into 13 areas, will compete in 7 sports: athletics (track & field), bocce, gymnastics, powerlifting, softball, swimming, and tennis.
Competitions will be held at various locations including TCNJ’s campus, Armstrong Memorial Park, and Schafer Sports Center in Ewing.
The weekend’s festivities will commence early Friday morning, around 4:45 a.m., as law enforcement officers known as the “Guardians of the Flame” take to the streets of their communities during the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics New Jersey. More than 3,000 officers, divided into 26 separate legs, will carry the Flame of Hope to raise awareness for Special Olympics New Jersey.
The annual Torch Run will culminate in the evening on Friday at the Opening Ceremony of the SONJ Summer Games at 7:30 p.m. in Lions Stadium at TCNJ. All are welcome to attend the ceremony, which will feature a Parade of Athletes marching into the stadium, joined by numerous loyal supporters, including law enforcement officers.
A select group of law enforcement officers and athletes will run with the Flame of Hope to light the cauldron, followed by a special appearance by SONJ athlete, DJ Redline, and a spectacular fireworks display.
Competitions will take place throughout the day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the various venues, and spectators are highly encouraged to attend and cheer on the athletes as they compete.
In addition to competition, Young Athletes™ will host developmental sports activities and there will also be a Future Stars Race for children ages 2-7 with intellectual disabilities. The Healthy Athletes program will offer athletes the opportunity to meet with healthcare professionals specializing in vision, dental, hearing, podiatry, mindfulness, and health education. Athletes will also have access to the Olympic Village and Athlete Experience, where they can enjoy fun activities when they are not competing.
All the events over the weekend are completely FREE of charge for the participating athletes, including food, housing, entertainment, and health screenings. It is important to note that none of these SONJ events would be possible without the support of thousands of volunteers. Nearly 3,000 volunteers, including coaches, officials, clinicians, photographers, event support staff, and many others, will be on hand throughout the weekend to ensure the success of the athletes’ experience.
The SONJ Summer Games are greatly supported by Wakefern FoodCorp./ShopRite, which donates lunch for everyone in attendance over the weekend.
For a detailed event schedule, information about individual sports activities, and complete Summer Games coverage, visit www.sonjsummergames.org.
