HILLSBOROUGH, Fla. — The torch for the Special Olympics is now at its final destination in Orlando ahead of the Special Olympics USA Games.
Law enforcement officers and athletes carried the Flame of Hope to destinations around Florida before reaching Orlando.
What You Need To Know
- The torch for the Special Olympics is now at its final destination in Orlando ahead of the Special Olympics USA Games
- It was in Tampa earlier this week, and the opening ceremony for the Special Olympics is this Sunday
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- Today, there was a very special sendoff at the Bucs training facility for the athletes, including 30-year-old Mike Tuason
- Team Florida is sending 600 athletes to compete in 19 different events
It was in Tampa earlier this week, and the opening ceremony for the Special Olympics is this Sunday.
Today, there was a very special sendoff at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers training facility for the athletes, including 30-year-old Mike Tuason.
The Special Olympic athlete has his practice routine down to a science. When he was a kid, it started as a love for swimming. But that was before he had tried the paddleboard.
“I like being in the water and having fun,” said Tuason.
The Special Olympics USA Games are held in a different city every four years. Team Florida is sending 600 athletes to compete in 19 different events. Now with his home state hosting, Tuason can’t wait to show off his skills.
“Work hard and good balance,” he said.
His partner in all of this has been his dad, Mike Tuason Sr. They train together, which includes lifting weights and doing cardio.
“He’s persistent when he wants to do stuff, he’ll do it,” said Mike Tuason Sr.
Heading to the Olympic Games is also a pivotal moment for Mike Tuason Sr., because he knows how hard his son has worked, and that having autism doesn’t define him.
“I don’t know what to say anymore, because I’m so excited with all this stuff he’s doing, and I can’t believe he’s doing it,” said Mike Tuason Sr.
