Team Illinois recently returned from the Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis, securing a sixth-place finish in the overall medal count.
The team, composed of 57 athletes and 16 coaches, competed in eight sports and earned a total of 54 medals, according to a community announcement.
The medal tally included 19 gold, 17 silver and 18 bronze medals. Team Illinois also achieved more than 30 placements from fourth to seventh place. More than 20 personal records were set by Team Illinois athletes.
More than 3,000 athletes compete in USA Games
The Special Olympics USA Games brought together 3,000 athletes, 1,500 coaches, 10,000 volunteers and 75,000 fans from across the United States.
Team Illinois excelled in several team events, including unified basketball, unified volleyball, swimming relays, bocce, athletics relays and bowling.
Local athlete Debbie Stewart of Rockford earned a bronze medal in the female doubles bowling competition, alongside her partner Katie Maynard this past weekend.
The announcement highlighted the achievements of the athletes and the support from coaches and fans, emphasizing the significance of the event in promoting inclusivity and sportsmanship, according to the announcement.
This story was created by reporter Nida Tazeen, NTazeen@usatodayco.com , with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Illinois athletes bring home 54 medals from 2026 USA Games
