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Sports

South Brunswick Resident Competes in Special Olympics

Annual Summer Games held this past weekend.

Over 2,300 athletes competed in the Special Olympics New Jersey Summer Games. Included in that group was South Brunswick's Emilia Bohnyak.

Bohnyak, 20, competed in the 50 dash and the softball throw.

The Special Olympics Summer Games were held from June 10-12 at The College of New Jersey. The event features a torch run, Opening Ceremonies and competition in aquatics, bocce, gymnastics, powerlifting, softball, tennis and track and field.

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In addition to the over 2,300 athletes competing, there were thousands of more individuals serving as coaches, volunteers or fans.

"Volunteers and spectators who attend Summer Games witness first-hand the passion our athletes have to succeed," said Lillian Narvaez, Vice President of Sport of Special Olympics New Jersey. "It's a great opportunity to gain an understanding of how our athletes' sheer determination defines the character of a person anyone would want to call their teammate."

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Athletes moved into the housing facilities at the school. This gave them time to enjoy the Olympic Village and Wellness Park, which featured free eye, ear and dental exams.

The Summer games was the end of this competitive season. Fortunately, Special Olympics is a year round event.

Events in the fall include cycling, equestrian, flag football, golf, soccer and volleyball. In the winter the events are skiing (alpine and cross-country), floor hockey, figure skating, speed skating, snowboarding and snowshoeing. Basketball, bowling and motor activity training are held in the spring.

There are currently over 22,000 athletes competing in the Special Olympics in New Jersey. More are always welcome.

To get more information about Special Olympics New Jersey, call 609-896-8000 or go to www.sonj.org.

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