MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — The Special Olympics USA Games are underway in Minneapolis and St. Paul, with four athletes from the Mitchell area taking part for the South Dakota squad.
The Opening Ceremonies were held Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium, the home of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football team. Most of the athletic competitions get going Monday, including group play for softball. South Dakota has a trio of local names on the roster. To advance to the medal round, the team will need big contributions from Scott Goldammer, Brandon Wolff, and Riley Wolff. Softball is being played in a nearby suburb of Blaine at Airport Park and the National Sports Center.
Mitchell’s Michael Cohu is looking to leave his mark in the pool. Cohu will race through the water in the freestyle and backstroke events, plus he’ll swim a leg of the medley relay. Events range from 25-yard sprints to 500-yard endurance races. Swimming is being held at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center at the University of Minnesota.
South Dakota is no stranger to success at the USA Games. In 2018, the team won the gold medal for softball in Seattle. They’ll try to replicate those results closer to home in Minnesota this week.