Dozens of Illinois athletes soon heading to compete in 2026 Special Olympics

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Fifty four athletes from Illinois are heading to compete in the Special Olympics in a matter of weeks.

They say they can't wait to showcase their skills on the big stage.

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"I'm competing in bocce for USA games in Minnesota, and I'm very excited," April Papke said.

For April Papke of Naperville, competing in the Special Olympics for the first time has been a dream come true.

Police officers and Special Olympics athletes gathered at Soldier Field for the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg Friday.

The event started with the ceremonial lighting of the Flame of Hope at Soldier Field, the birthplace of the Special Olympics.

"This moment actually means a lot. Running was actually my way of destressing," Alex Huegea said. "I got to compete last time in athletics, and now this time I get to serve in another capacity. So I get to run the torch."

Local law enforcement officers ran alongside special Olympic athletes as a symbol of unity and inclusion.

"This cause is very near and dear to me as I have a brother who's a Special Olympic athlete," said Debbie Henning, with the Lockport Police Department. "When I became a police officer, I felt the need to go out and raise the funds to help athletes be able to continue to compete."

"Special Olympics at its core really is about belonging, you know, in a world where a lot of our athletes, people with down syndrome, fragile X, somewhere on the autism spectrum, aren't typically welcomed in the world and don't have a place. And if you ask any one of our athletes, probably the No. 1 thing they'll tell you that they love about Special Olympics is it's where their friends are. It's where they belong," said Pete Beale-DelVecchio, president and CEO of Special Olympics Illinois.

The Flame of Hope will be making its first ever coast-to-coast journey, before ending in Minnesota, where the games begin in June.