Twenty-two athletes from Abilities Plus in Kewanee competed in the Regional Special Olympics competition. [Facebook photo]

Athletes from Abilities Plus in Kewanee participated in the Regional Special Olympics in Monmouth on May 4. Now 13 of those athletes will head to state in June.

Lexi Bral, Derick Carlock, Chris Hamer, Andrea Milner, Kelly Mulcahy, Derek Neal, Rick Palmer, Michael Phelps, Erik Sierra, Lilly Streeter, Abby Thorp, Morgan Thorp and Andrew Yarger all qualified at regionals and will get a chance to participate in the state competition slated for June 7-8 in Bloomington.

Andrea Milner placed first in 400-m walk at the regional Special Olympics competition held in Monmouth on May 4. [Facebook photo]

The Special Olympics Illinois is a nonprofit organization that offers year-round training and competition in 18 sports for more than 23,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities and over 17,000 young athletes ages 2 to 7 with and without intellectual disabilities.

The programs promote physical fitness, motor skills, confidence, social skills and encourage family and community support and was started by Dr. William Freeberg of SIU, who created an extensive camping program for people with intellectual disabilities.