Local Special Olympic skiiers shine at Northern State Games
(Photo courtesy of MELISSA WYMAN) Campbell Wyman holds up his pair of gold medals after skiing in the Northern State Games on Feb. 23.
(Photo courtesy of CHRIS PAINTER) Brothers Kevin Collins (right) and Eli Jennings (left) finish neck-and-neck during one of their Nordic ski races at the Northern State Games on Feb. 23.
Five Sandpoint Special Olympic athletes medaled during the Northern State games, held at Silver Mountain, in Kellogg and Shoshone Park in Mullan on Feb. 23.
Sandpoint sophomore Campbell Wyman led the way in the Alpine divisions by earning gold medals in the Intermediate division in both the Slalom and the Giant Slalom.
Meanwhile in the Nordic division, Sandpoint High School brothers Kevin Collins and Eli Jennings were neck-and-neck at the finish in both their races, with Eli winning each race by only one second apiece.
Eli Jennings earned gold medals in the Nordic 50 and 100 meter races, with Collins a close second, earning silver medals in the 50 and 100 meter Nordic races.
Elsewhere, Bradey Scrimsher earned gold medals in his division of the 50 and 100 meter races.
Haley Thompson earned gold medals in the women’s division of the Nordic 50 and 100 meter races.
She cut her 100 meter qualifying time in half and her 50 meter qualifying time by two-thirds of her original personal bests in order to earn her gold medals.
Next, the team will set its sights to the summer games, which will be held in Caldwell, Id. on June 1.
In the interim, the team will sell car raffle tickets to help send the athletes to this event.