MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Team Missouri turned in a championship-caliber day Thursday at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, with volleyball, softball, and flag football all advancing to title matchups and earning silver medals, while swimming added another gold to the delegation’s total, on Day 4 of the national event, held June 20–26 at the University of Minnesota and the National Sports Center in Blaine.
Missouri’s delegation includes 78 athletes and Unified Partners competing in 12 sports: Athletics, Basketball, Bocce, Bowling, Flag Football, Golf, Pickleball, Powerlifting, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, and Volleyball.
Local and Regional Highlights
- Jefferson City:Track and field athlete Joseph (Joe) Collins capped a breakout week with gold in the 100m Thursday, after racing in Monday’s 400m and Tuesday’s 200m. He returns to the track Friday for the 200m final.
- Louis Metro area:Track and field athlete Terrence Winfield won bronze in the Mini-Javelin Thursday. Bocce athlete Eric Schmitt placed 6th in singles play, with the team set to return Friday for Unified team matches. Golf athletes Matt Smitherman and Jim Osterholt Sr. finished 4th in their tournament, narrowly missing the podium.
- Moberly:Track and field athlete Kenlee Lewis had a standout day, winning gold in both shot put and long jump while also placing 4th in the 100m.
- Kansas City Metro area:Bocce athlete Anthony “Tony” Mitchell won silver Thursday, as Team Missouri’s bocce program improved to 7-for-8 in medal events this week. Basketball athlete Colton Wilson showed marked improvement in rebounds and assists throughout the day; the team will receive its 5th-place finish at Friday’s awards ceremony.
- Pickleball:Florica Gault, of the St. Louis Metro area, and Anna McDaniel, of Columbia, teamed up for silver in doubles play Thursday, while John Eckart, of the Kansas City Metro area, and Scott LaRue, of Columbia, paired up for bronze. Eckart also received a special sportsmanship award paddle for his conduct throughout the Games.
- Springfield and Lee’s Summit:Powerlifting athlete Jacob Mynatt of Springfield turned in a strong all-around day Thursday: gold in deadlift, bronze in squat, 4th in bench press, and silver overall. Tennis athletes Owen Lambert (Springfield) and Robert “Bobby” Williams (Lee’s Summit) both competed hard in Thursday’s matches and return to the court Friday for singles finals.
Across All Sports
Softball defeated Pennsylvania by 12 runs before falling to Ohio in the championship game, mounting a comeback effort that fell just short and finishing with the silver medal. Flag football also reached the championship round, taking the lead on a last-minute score before halftime and battling neck-and-neck with its opponent before finishing as silver medalists. Volleyball capped its tournament run with a silver medal in the championship match. Swimming added gold in the 4×50-yard relay. Bowling earned bronze in Thursday’s Unified team competition.
About the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games
The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games are taking place June 20–26 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, bringing together roughly 3,000 athletes and 1,500 coaches representing all 50 states, competing in 16 team and individual sports. The event is supported by more than 10,000 volunteers and an anticipated 75,000 fans. Team Missouri — known as “MO Magic” — earned its spot through a multi-step qualification process: athletes won a gold medal in their sport the year prior, attended a selection camp, and were ultimately selected to represent Missouri at the national Games.