Local teens to represent USA at Special Olympics Winter Games
by Jessi Flowers
During the 2025 Winter Special Olympics , the residents of Colquitt County will be able to watch two of their own competing for one of those coveted gold medals .
19-year-old Jeremiah Spence and 18-year-old Jayda Hughes have recently been selected to represent the United States on the world team as skiers . Events will take place March 8-16 , 2025 , throughout Bardonecchia , Pragelato , Sestriere and Torino .
However , their adventure as Olympic athletes will begin long before they board that international flight to Italy .
April 18-20 , 2024 , the duo will be in Salt Lake City , Utah , to meet their USA World teammates along with the head coach , who is from Alaska , and the seven assistant coaches .
The USA World team is comprised of 31 athletes , including Spence and Hughes .
“ Whoever Jeremiah ’ s coach is will have a hardworking person on their team ,” said Mitchell McKinney with the Colquitt County Program for Exceptional Children . “ He never complains and is always very respectful .”
“ Jayda is going to bring confidence and humor ,” said McKinney . “ Once she gets comfortable with her team she will be the life of the party and bring a lot of enthusiasm .”
During the games , the following events will take place : snowboarding , slalom , ice skating , speed skiing and snowshoe racing .
Spence is a slalom athlete while Hughes competes in speed skiing .
Slalom is when the athlete weaves around poles while skiing their way down the slope .
“ It ’ s more fun ,” said Spence when asked why he preferred slalom . “ Going slower and around the poles .”
Speed skiing is just as it sounds — get down the mountain as quickly as possible .
“ I like to go fast ,” said Hughes with an ear-toear smile .
“ They all get so competitive during the events , and they will remember you ,” said McKinney . “ It ’ s fun to have one of the athletes remember you from a previous competition and come up to you asking if people are there or joke around about who is going to win .” Not all athletes compete at the same level . “ Hughes is an advanced skier and has been for a while ,” said McKinney . “ Spence should be advanced by the time they leave for the Olympics , but right now he is at the intermediate level .”
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