200 Athletes Compete in Special Olympics Games

A few brightly colored ribbons can go a long way.

Winning a red one--signifying a second place--in the Special Olympics track and field championships Saturday in Ventura made Peter Breisig throw his arms above his head in a two-fisted victory salute.

Having two blue ones pinned to her T-shirt made Gerri MacIntosh break into a bashful smile.

And the multicolored array across his chest representing first-, second- and third-place finishes had John Patchett bursting with pride.

“I won!” the Oxnard resident said with a broad smile. Then he launched into a list of his other accomplishments.

“I have a job. I work at Blockbuster Video. I was on television once. I’m trying to save the whales and the dolphins from people.”

Generating that kind of pride among the disabled is what Special Olympics are all about, said organizer Bob Martin.

“Everybody is a winner,” Martin said. “People get to come out and get the opportunity to compete, to be a part of something that they normally wouldn’t be a part of.”

More than 200 athletes showed up at the Special Olympics games at Ventura High School. They competed in races, relays and field events, including shot put, standing long jump, running long jump and the softball throw. Bugs Bunny put in an appearance, dressed in a tuxedo and delivering hugs to all the participants.

True to Olympian spirit, a flame was carried around the track in the morning and the torch it ignited burned through the last medal ceremony.

Two of the fastest runners of the day were Brian Cross, 17, and Andrew Myers, 18, teammates on the Conejo Champs of Thousand Oaks. They made an unlikely couple, Brian at 4 foot 6 and Andrew a towering 6 foot 5, but they spent the day running neck-and-neck.

“I was this close to beating him,” said Brian, pinching a few inches of air between his fingers.

The two competitors finished up the day with a little teamwork in the 400-meter relay. Andrew’s long legs ate up the track, establishing a solid lead over the Oxnard Dragons team. Then he handed off the baton to Brian, whose pumping legs turned into a blur for the last 100 meters, winning the race.