GRAND RAPIDS – When it comes to athletics, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better pair on land or water
than Jason and Kathleen Rupert.
The brother and sister from Wood County Special Olympics will be competing in the National Special
Olympics USA Games in New Jersey, which begin this weekend.
Running June 14 through June 21, the games will include 3,500 athletes from across the country competing
in 16 sports. Competition venues include Princeton University, the Prudential Center in Newark, and a
number of other sites.
"Pumped," said Kathleen, 24, of how she feels about heading to the games. "It’s just a
great experience."
The pair have been consistent participants in the local Special Olympics, operated by Wood Lane, for a
total of 13 years.
This will be Kathleen’s second time at the national level – she took gold, silver and bronze at the 2006
USA Special Olympics games – but it’s a whole new ball game for her this time around. During that
previous competition, she competed in aquatics.
This year, however, she’s taking on cycling, competing in the 10k time trial, 2k time trial, and 5k time
trial.

She’s been "riding my bike a lot," practicing her speeds, Kathleen said. She has been reaching
speeds of about 25 miles an hour.
For Jason, 23, the pool will be his focus at the games, competing in four aquatics events: 100-yard
freestyle, 4×25 medley relay (which he’ll anchor), 50-yard breaststroke, and 50-yard freestyle.
This will be his first time competing at the national games.
"Very excited and nervous at the same time," he said of heading to New Jersey for the contest.
However, he said, Kathleen has been giving him some tips from her experiences.
The pair’s mother, Patty, said her daughter has been training by biking in the Grand Rapids area, and
also on local trails like the Slippery Elm Trail, which runs from Bowling Green to North Baltimore.
Training has been slightly more problematic for Jason – with usual practice spots like the pools at the
Bowling Green State University Student Recreation Center or Wood Lane closed down for renovations and
other work, times for getting in the water to workout has come at a premium.
Patty, however, said that training for the pair has "been a family affair" – often she’ll drop
them off early in the morning to practice and swim, and her husband will pick them up later.
To stay in good condition, both Jason and Kathleen haven’t just been sticking to one kind of event –
they’ve been cross-training, said Patty.
"If they’re not swimming together, they’re cycling together."
The games, she said, gives her children the ability to shine as individuals, not just as athletes.
"We’re special," said Kathleen.