MILAN, Italy – Nearly 150 Special Olympics USA delegates, including four Special Olympics Michigan (SOMI) athletes and one coach, will arrive in Italy on Friday, March 7 to compete internationally at the Special Olympics World Games Turin 2025.
The world’s largest sports and humanitarian event will run from March 8-15, 2025. More than 1,500 athletes from 100 delegations will compete in eight sports, including: alpine skiing, cross country skiing, dance sport, figure skating, floorball, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and short track speed skating.
SOMI athletes, Max Gilbert (Portage) and Christina Danieli (Grosse Pointe Farms), will compete in alpine skiing at Sestiere Mountain, along with support from SO USA Assistant Alpine Ski Coach, Anne Goudie (Hartland). Athletes Jeremiah Stumpfig (Houghton Lake) and Alexandrea Rutledge (Flushing) will race in cross country competition at the Pragelato Olympic Center. All four athletes qualified for World Games at the 2024 Special Olympics Michigan State Winter Games and have been training with the SO USA delegation for more than a year.
Prior to departure, athletes marked the beginning of their Special Olympics World Winter Games journey with a sendoff celebration, co-emceed by ESPN’s Coley Harvey and Special Olympics USA athlete Sulynnette Vega Ledesma. They ended their sendoff dinner with a silent disco, sponsored by Bank of America.
As SOMI athletes and the Special Olympics USA delegation make their way to Turin, the Flame of Hope is also making its way there, in preparation for Opening Ceremony on March 8. Lit in Athens, Greece on March 1, members of the Law Enforcement Torch Run will run the torch through several Northern Italian cities raising money and awareness for athletes with intellectual disabilities (ID).
Escorting the Flame of Hope are two members of Michigan law enforcement. Carla White (Munising), a Corrections Program Coordinator with the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC), is attending her first Special Olympics World Games.
Michigan State Police Trooper, Jacob Lewis (Rockford), is attending his second Special Olympics World Games representing the Law Enforcement Torch Run. Lewis is one of eight team leaders.
“I have been involved with Special Olympics Michigan and the Law Enforcement Torch Run since joining the MSP in 2016,” Lewis, who is assigned to the Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit, said. “My participation quickly turned into a passion. I feel incredibly honored to have been chosen as a Guardian of the Flame to represent the organization and the MSP on an international stage.”
The eight law enforcement teams that make up the Final Leg, include more than 50 U.S. members of law enforcement and 30 international members, eight of which are Italian officers. Each team also has an athlete runner accompanying them as they run the Flame of Hope through Italy.
Michigan athlete biographies:
Jeremiah Stumpfig of Houghton Lake, Michigan, started competing in Special Olympics two years ago and has trained in cross country skiing and soccer. At the age of 5, Jeremiah began skiing and will now represent Special Olympics USA in cross country skiing. He feels most proud when he is racing, even when he does not win. Although he describes himself as shy, he has met many friends and has tried new activities through Special Olympics.
In addition to his accomplishments in sports, he earned his high school diploma, has a driver’s license and owns his own home. Jeremiah is employed part-time at Walmart, where he works as a cart attendant. At work, he pushes carts for many hours, strengthening his body for competition. For the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025, he will travel internationally for the first time.
Alexandrea Rutledge of Flushing, Michigan, has participated in Special Olympics for more than 12 years, training in athletics, basketball, bowling, cross country skiing and volleyball. Along the way, she has made new friends and has become more independent. In the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025, she will represent Special Olympics USA in cross country skiing.
A student at Carman-Ainsworth High School, she is part of the Genesee Intermediate School District’s Project CHOICE, an alternative classroom setting for students identified as Moderately Cognitively Impaired. At school, students practice vocational skills to prepare for integration in community environments. After school, Alexandrea practices with one of her coaches, working to improve her endurance. She is readying to represent her state and her country to the best of her ability in Italy.
Max Gilbert of Kalamazoo, Michigan, has competed in Alpine skiing, powerlifting and swimming with Special Olympics. Since the age of 5, Max has been on the slopes, improving his ski technique, which he continued to do in his training with Special Olympics. That training gave him the confidence to join his high school’s ski team. He is proudest of the medals he has earned and the friends he has made through sports.
Preparing to represent Special Olympics USA in Alpine skiing, Max is lifting weights and running six days a week. An avid sports fan, Max follows The Ohio State University teams, especially football. Max was born in China and has two sisters, one from Vietnam and one from China. Now, he is grateful for the opportunity to represent the United States and individuals with intellectual disabilities in the Special Olympics World Winter Games.
Christina Danieli of Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, began competing in Special Olympics at the age of 11, more than 20 years ago. Starting with swimming, she then tried Alpine skiing, basketball, bowling and golf. As a high schooler, Christina competed on the junior varsity tennis team. She earned two varsity letters each in cross country and track and three varsity letters in swimming. As part of the Special Olympics Michigan delegation, Christina competed in swimming at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games, where she won four gold medals. In the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025, she will represent Special Olympics USA in Alpine skiing.
Christina attended vocational schools for both dog grooming and culinary arts. She now works in nutritional services at Corewell Health. As a mother, she shares her commitment to sports training with her son, Andrew, teaching him the basics of swimming. She is honored to represent her country and is preparing to bring home medals from Italy.