MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Team Missouri closed out its week at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games Friday with a final round of medals across track and field, tennis, bocce, swimming, and golf, capped by Friday evening’s Closing Ceremony in Minneapolis.
Final Day Highlights
- Jefferson City:Track and field athlete Joseph (Joe) Collins added bronze in the 200m Friday, closing out a breakout week that also included gold in the 100m and races in the 400m and 200m earlier in the Games.
- Louis Metro area:Track and field athlete Terrence Winfield won bronze in the 200m, and St. Louis-area athlete Kenzie Hagen won silver in the same event.
- Kansas City Metro area:Bocce athletes Eric Schmitt and Anthony Mitchell helped secure Missouri’s full-team silver medal, alongside Molly Schuster and Ivory Traylor. Mother-daughter bocce duo Kelsey Porter and Julie Porter helped secure Missouri’s full-team gold medal, alongside Springfield’s Jennie Crabbe and Charity O’Bannon. Tennis athlete Robert “Bobby” Williams won gold in singles play Friday.
- Springfield:Tennis athlete Owen Lambert finished 4th in singles Friday.
- Swimming: Louis Metro area athlete Allison Zigaitis won gold in the 100 freestyle. Mariah Lucero, of Columbia, won bronze in the 100 medley.
- Joseph:Swimmer Jaxson Bremer earned silver in the 100 freestyle and placed 6th in the 50 backstroke Friday. Golf athlete Darrin Ellis won silver in the 9-hole tournament.
Athletes from Golf, Basketball, Bocce, Tennis, Bowling, Swimming, and Athletics received their medals and ribbons during Friday’s award ceremonies, closing out a week that saw Team Missouri’s 78 athletes and Unified Partners compete across 12 sports.
Team Missouri capped the week with Friday evening’s Closing Ceremony, joining athletes and delegations from across the country for a final celebration before heading home.
The next Special Olympics USA Games will be held in 2030 in Cleveland, Ohio.
About the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games
The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games took 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 was 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.