Chyna Winston gripped Donna Morrison's hand tightly as she ran down the track Wednesday at the Statesville High School stadium.
The group from Mitchell Community College's Compensatory Education program originally thought Chyna, who is blind, would need help running the track safely.
As she made her way across the finish line, Chyna was greeted with a wave of cheers from Special Olympic volunteers, who didn't stop cheering until the last participant crossed the finish line.
"You gave Donna her exercise this morning," Sheila Cowan, a teacher with the Mitchell Community College program, told Chyna after she accepted a first-place ribbon.
Loud whoops of joy were routine Wednesday morning during the track and field program for the Spring Games 2009. Whether the athlete finished first or last, the 300 volunteers and teachers cheered in the misty drizzle like it was the greatest achievement they'd ever seen.
"This is like Christmas," local coordinator Tiffani Tabor said. "There have been a lot of weeks that go into this day, and it's really worthwhile."
Kim Myatt, who was attending with LifeSpan in Troutman, likes to see all of her friends during the games.
Cowan, meanwhile, said her students look forward to the event each year.
"They just know it's going to be a day of excitement and they start to talk about what race they are going to be in and who they will get to see again," she said.
East Iredell Elementary School Teacher Assistant Peggy Brendle said the 12 students from East really seemed to be enjoying themselves — and so was she.
The volunteers, she said, made a huge difference. With around 290 athletes signed up, each student could have been paired up with a volunteer, she said.
East Iredell Middle School sixth-graders Mackenzie Craven and Jacqueline Jimenez were supporting Elodia Guevara during her events. The two girls are a part of the Helping Friends organization, which allows students to be peer helpers in the Intellectual Disabled Moderate and Autistic classes.
"When this came up, we decided to help with it," said Mackenzie. "In the run, we got to run with her."
Elodia won one of her races, but for the most part the shy pre-teen was happy to watch her peers toss tennis balls and run around.
Some of the exceptional children from North Iredell High School were on hand to help out the athletes whose disabilities are more severe than their own.
"I've enjoyed the kids participating in the events," said EC teacher Tyana Bailey-Hancock. "I really wish they had first-place ribbons for all of them because they are all winners."
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