Athletes shine during Special Olympics at Bonneville High School

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Over the weekend, the Special Olympics took center stage at Bonneville High School.

Athletes from all over the area competed in the regional competition.

For these remarkable athletes, it is a chance for them to showcase their talents and more importantly, an opportunity to compete.

There were some some thrilling performances on the track, including from Cody Lax, who didn't let a wheelchair stop him from crossing the finish line.

"They don’t look at me in a wheelchair," Lax said. "I can be a different person."

On the gridiron, there were teams from Pocatello and from Burley making plays all over the field.

On the bike path, there was some serious speed and some serious commitment. With the crowd cheering the athletes on, every lap around the track felt very special.

"We're thankful for these things," said Trevor Burris. "Bless Idaho very much for how grateful we are to have this in our life."

On the hardwood, we had buckets, buckets, and more buckets.

Not only did these guys and girls win a ribbon, they got to show off their wonderful personalities.

Perhaps what was most heartwarming was to see the athletes persevere and never give up.

"Treating them as everyone else is the most important part," said event organizer Sedona Hansen. "Having high schoolers here, middle schoolers here, and even older adults and just kind of seeing the joy that it brings them, it's awesome."

"A lot of people look at these people and say they have a disability," said Wendy Salazar. "That's not true. They have a lot of abilities, and these games allow them to show the abilities that they have."

These superstars journeys are just getting started, with the state competition set to take place June 7th and 8th in Caldwell.

We wish them luck to take home the gold.