Girl in a blue shirt with a red medal ribbon receiving a yellow softball from a woman in a gray hoodie at a stadium bleacher venue.
Softball throw

Area Special Olympics track meet held at Cardinal Stadium


Bob Foos

Male athlete in a red shirt and black shorts leaps into a sand pit during a track and field long jump event, with a track and stands in the background.

Cardinal Stadium was full of athletes Tuesday as Webb City hosted the Special Olympics Missouri Southwest Area Track Meet.

More than 400 athletes were expected from Webb City, Carthage, Neosho, McDonald County, Nevada, Seneca, and Osceola, among others.

Following opening ceremonies, events including sprints, distance runs and field events.

Lori Cole, a special education teacher at Webb City High School, coordinated the competitions and all the volunteers.

The meet is part of Special Olympics Missouri’s year-round programming, which provides sports training and competitive opportunities to individuals with intellectual disabilities, promoting inclusion, confidence, and personal achievement.

Runners sprint toward the finish on a track with a crowd watching; scoreboard reads Cardinal Stadium in the background.