Athletes with disabilities compete at Gifted Games in Hollister

HOLLISTER, Calif. —

An Olympic-style event was held in Hollister on Friday as more than 400 students with disabilities competed in the annual Gifted Games.

The event included an opening ceremony and was attended by students from 20 schools from San Benito and Santa Clara counties.

The Gifted Games comprised a series of events, including the mile race, field events, wheelchair races, and dash events, where elementary, middle, and high school students participated with equal enthusiasm.

The event that began as a way to allow 30 Life Skills students from San Benito High School to compete in Olympic-style events has become a community-wide celebration of hundreds of special needs student-athletes from around the area, the school district said in a 2018 post on Facebook.

“Today’s Gifted Games was a triumph of courage and strength, where athletes with unique abilities showcased their exceptional talents in a competitive environment,” said Brianna Teimoorian, one of the event organizers.

Article Credits: KSBW