Athletes from the Special Olympics Central Peninsula team are set to travel this weekend to compete in Anchorage at the Special Olympics Alaska State Summer Games.

During the 2025 Summer Games, held in Anchorage from June 6-8, 18 local athletes will compete — 15 for swimming and three for basketball skills.

Coach Heidi Renner said last week that the local program has seen significant growth in recent years — they have 31 swimmers in two skill levels and 12 basketball players. Central Peninsula Special Olympics is working now to add bocce, skiing and snowshoeing in the near future. At a recent torch run fundraiser, the group raised more than $9,000.

Over the recent years growing Special Olympics on the central peninsula, Renner said she’s seen her athletes developing friendships — locally and in the broader state community.

That’s what a group of athletes said they value about the program. Alex Harrison, Darryl Magen, Tristyn Clucas and Mercedes Norris said they enjoyed Special Olympics — especially the state competition next week — because it brings people together for friendly competition.

“We have people that have physical trouble and people with mental trouble,” Harrison said. “I like how they all come together to show they’re stronger.”

It helps, Magen said, that the people in Special Olympics are nice.

For more information about the team and their competition, find “Special Olympics Alaska Central Peninsula Community” on Facebook.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.