Special Olympians Take to the Water at Oxford High

More than 50 area special olympians competed in swimming events at on Thursday night.

Special Olympics teams from Oxford, Waterbury, Meriden, Shelton, Ridgefield and St. Catherine Academy in Fairfield all competed on Thursday in the regional Northwest and Southwest Developmental Aquatics event. Hundreds of coaches, parents and others cheered on the athletes.

The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community, according to the Oxford Special Olympics website.

Patch was there to take photos of the athletes.