Special Olympics athletes from Knoxville and Pleasantville are headed for the Summer Games this weekend.

First-place qualifiers from the Spring Games at Indianola on April 16th advanced to the state event, which runs from Thursday through Saturday on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames.

Knoxville participants include Ben Haywood in the softball throw, Charlie Leavitt in the tennis ball throw and 30 meter motorized slalom, and Jacob Hindman in the 25-yard backstroke and 25-yard freestyle.  

They’ll be joined by the 4×100 Unified relay team of Stacia Mason, Grace Irving, Joe Morgan and A.J. Bull.

From Pleasantville, athletes include Taylor Fearno in the softball throw and 50 meter dash, Cameron Cross in the 50 meter dash, Marissa Schletzbaum in the TurboJav throw and 100 meter dash, and Michelle Turnage in the TurboJav throw and 50 meter dash.

Also scheduled to participate is Shawn Barker of Carlisle, in the 200 meter dash and running long jump.