LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Six athletes from the Louisville area will represent Team Kentucky at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games next June.
Special Olympics Kentucky announced Dallas Derringer, Justin Hale, Michaela Hickerson, Caitlin Roy, Austin Stine and Trevor Yates will all be a part of Team Kentucky's delegation in Orlando.
Derringer, a 23-year-old from Louisville, will compete in bowling. An athlete ambassador, Derringer has been a Special Olympics athlete for 12 years, participating in soccer, flag football, softball and basketball in addition to bowling.
At just 18, Hale will make his second consecutive trip to the USA Games. He previously won gold in the 100-meter freestyle and silver in the 50-meter backstroke at the 2018 games.
The Crestwood native is not the only Louisville-area athlete swimming for Team Kentucky. Louisville's Austin Stine, 30, is making his first trip to the USA Games. Stine has been a Special Olympics athlete for 19 years.
Seneca High School student Michaela Hickerson is the youngest member of Team Kentucky. She'll be part of the state's track and field team in her first appearance at the USA Games.
Roy, 23, is the only Team Kentucky track star with experience at the USA Games. The Finchville native won gold in the 200-meter and silver in the 100-meter in 2018. She is also an athlete leadership program graduate and was previously part of Kentucky's team that competed in the 2019 NIRSA Unified Collegiate Basketball Tournament.
Trevor Yates of Shepherdsville also joins Kentucky's track and field team. This will be the 25-year-old's first USA Games.
In total, 34 athletes will represent Special Olympics Kentucky in artistic gymnastics, bocce, bowling flag football, gold, swimming, track and field and basketball. The 2022 USA Games are the fifth games in Special Olympics history.
"Being selected to Team Kentucky for the Games is not only a tremendous honor for our athletes, but it offers a great opportunity for personal growth," CEO Trish Mazzoni said. "We have seen many of our athletes be transformed by this experience at the previous four USA Games that have been held."
The total cost of sending Team Kentucky to the 2022 USA Games is expected to approach $100,000.
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