Family and friends joined together Monday morning to cheer on eight athletes at the Special Olympics Texas Area 4 Figure Skating competition at Ice Skating USA.

After a brief warm-up, the athletes took the ice for the Opening Ceremonies. The Olympic torch made of orange and red cellophane was passed from athlete to athlete. Last to carry the torch was competitor Sky Holak, who skated around the rink with the Olympic theme playing over the loud speaker.

After the passing of the torch, competing athlete Kenneth Price said the Pledge of Allegiance. Competing athlete Marissa Castillon led the athletes in this pledge: “Let me win. If I do not win, let me be brave in my attempt.”

The competition, consisting of pairs, free, and skills skating, began with pairs compulsory.

Castillon and partner Kenneth Price took the ice for Level 2 Compulsory. Castillon was dressed in a beautiful black skating outfit with red sequence that sparkled under the lights. Price looked sharp in a black coattail suit.

Castillon and Price took home the gold medal for their technique in that performance.

Castillon, who began skating when she was 10, has traveled all over to compete. More recently she traveled to Alaska where she won a bronze medal.

Castillon says, “My favorite part of skating is the two-foot spin with Kenneth Price.”

The next pairs group was Amanda Austin and partner Holak for Level 1 Compulsory. Austin and Holak matched in black and blue sequence and made quite a pair. Austin and Holak took first place, earning a gold  medal for their techniques on the ice.

Men’s singles took the ice next with three competitors. Joshua Feng and Vincent Thai competed against each other at the youth level. Feng looked dapper in a suit as he received the silver medal. Winning the gold was Thai, who was full of energy.

Justin Lu won the gold medal in the men’s adult competition.

Eugenia Liang skated in the women’s singles and took home the gold medal for her talent and skill. Liang has been training and skating for a little over three years now at the Galleria. She competes in bowling and in the future will compete in basketball.

Holak won three more gold medals for his routines in Level 1 Compulsory, Free Skate pairs, and for Level 1 Free Skate men’s singles.

Price won three additional gold medals for his routines in Level 2 Compulsory, Free Skate pairs, and for Level 2 Free Skate men’s singles.

Amanda Austin won one more gold medal for her performance with Holak in the Free Skate pairs. 

Marissa Castillon won one more gold medal for her routine with Price in the Free Skate pairs.

Eugenia Liang won one more gold medal for the Free Skate women’s single.

Judging the competition were volunteers from Ice Skate USA. They judged based on the way the athletes carried themselves, their arms, knee bends, their speed forward and backward, and their ability to curve and crossover. 

Clevette Lionberger coaches the athletes and choreographs the routines. She trains with each athlete once or twice a week, whether individually or in a group session. She has coached some of the athletes for years. Lionberger says, “I’ve been with Kenneth (Price) for almost 20 years now.”

The SOTX serves over 25,000 individuals with intellectual disabilities. In Houston alone, it serves just over 3,000 athletes in 15 different sports.

“Recently, we just had some of our Houston athletes, as well as across the nation, travel to Shanghai, China for the world games,” SOTX representative Renee Klovenski said. “Sixty-six athletes and coaches from Texas went. We were the largest delegation in the nation and we are very proud of that.”

Next year is the World Winter Games in Utah. Klovenski hopes that a skater from Texas, preferably from today’s competition will go.

All the athletes that skated today will move on to the state level competition Feb. 1 in Austin. There will be more than 2,400 athletes from around the state competing in five sports - volleyball, bowling, figure skating, power lifting and table tennis.

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