Staff report
Union swimmer Maddie Brinkman claimed Team Kentucky’s first swimming medal of the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games yesterday, and it came oh-so-close to being a gold in the competition taking place at host University of Minnesota.
Brinkman led her heat of the 100-yard backstroke with just five yards to go and appeared to have touched first, but Minnesota’s Sydney Sexton snuck in just a tenth of a second before her for the gold.
Erlanger’s Daniel Hewitt had one point and added a rebound for Team Kentucky’s Louisville-based Unified basketball team as they knocked off Colorado 28-19. It was the first win of the Games for the Unified team.
Chris Revay shot a 47 today in his round of the 9-hole individual stroke play golf tournament, however strong storms blew threw Minneapolis today and suspended play before everyone could complete their round.
The decision was made to scrap all of the completed and incomplete rounds and re-start the competition today.
Swimmer Carmen Widener of Burlington had today off but will be competing today.
Today Team Kentucky will be at the pool looking to defend its 4×50-yard medley relay gold from the 2022 USA Games in Orlando. Brinkman was a member of that team as well. She will swim the backstroke leg, and Widener will follow in the breaststroke leg.
In their preliminary heat Team Kentucky shaved seven seconds off its previous best time and goes into the final as the top seed. Widener will also swim her 100-yard breaststroke preliminary.
The Team Kentucky Unified basketball team will take on Montana in their final pool play game. Montana is 0-2 in their first two outings.
Chris Revay will open official competition with his first of three rounds in the 9-hole individual stroke play golf event.