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'The Big Moment': Five Valleys Area Special Olympics Spring Games Begin

Fans cheer on the athletes during the Bozeman Hawks & Bozeman Mighty Mustangs game at the 2016 Montana Special Olympics.
Bree Zender
Fans cheer on the athletes during the Bozeman Hawks & Bozeman Mighty Mustangs game at the 2016 Montana Special Olympics.

Over 600 athletes, coaches and volunteers will assemble tomorrow to kick-off the Special Olympics Spring Games. The Five Valleys Area Spring Games will take place in Missoula and Frenchtown April 19-21.Jose Diaz is the Five Valleys Area Management Team Director.

“Essentially this is the accumulation of a lot of practice, a lot of training," says Diaz. "The Area Games is sort of a regional championship for our athletes, and next month they'll have the state games so this is a qualifier for that. And for our athletes, this is the big moment."

The games bring together athletes from across the Five Valleys region to compete in sports including track and field, bocce and swimming. This year also marks the 40th anniversary of the Area Spring Games.
 

Rachel is a UM grad working in the MTPR news department.
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