Special Olympics Team Makes Debut at St. Anthony's Triathlon

There are so many aspects of the St. Anthony’s Triathlon that make it special – the picturesque downtown waterfront course, the blend of top pros from across the country and globe with amateur enthusiasts young and old, and an event that has grown over the years into one of the most respected triathlons on the circuit.

But on Sunday morning, April 28 the race will take on yet another special quality. Among the thousands of participants in the 41st St. Anthony’s Triathlon, five will be Special Olympics athletes, ranging in age from late 20s to early 50s. The team has embraced the formidable task of completing a triathlon and experienced a deep sense of pride and heightened confidence in the process.

This marks the first time St. Anthony’s will feature members of the Special Olympics, which incorporated triathlon as a sport only six years ago. But make no mistake:  Marlynne Stutzman, 26; Andrew Ahearn, 28; Blake Bird, 34; William Corsi, 41; or Kathy Pilczuk, 51 – all residents of the greater Tampa Bay region – are already experienced triathlon competitors. 

Stutzman even completed a full IRONMAN event in Kona, Hawaii, consisting of a 2.4-mile swim; a 112-mile bike ride; and a 26.2-mile marathon. She graduated from Gulf High in Pasco County with a passion for swimming and was thrilled at the chance to compete in triathlons and more, including plans to do the famed Alcatraz Swim this summer in San Francisco. 

“The IRONMAN was a big challenge,” Stutzman says on a recent Zoom video call with three fellow competitors and coaches Kimberly Case and Phyllis Crain. “After I finished, I felt dead. But it was a lot of fun, and I had people cheering me on, yelling ‘You got this, Marlynne!’ ”

At St. Anthony’s, the five have entered the Sprint event, which consists of about a half-mile swim; biking 12.4 miles; and a 3.1-mile run. Only Stutzman and Ahearn, who has done an Olympic-distance triathlon, have competed beyond a sprint so far. Neither of them relies on the assistance of racing partners, while veteran triathletes will race alongside Bird, Pilczuk and Corsi. 

The only other special arrangement during the competition for the group will be starting in a delayed “wave” after other participants have begun their open-water swim. Besides that, these athletes will simply be tackling the next race in a sport they have come to love and, in some respects, defy expectations as they go.

“The triathlon has really taken off in Special Olympics,” says Crain, a Pasco County public school teacher who has coached the team from the start, and recently began sharing the coaching duties with Case. “In 2018, we had four participants in Florida. By 2019, it grew to 10. And from there it has really boomed in the state. 

“Some people are shocked when you say Special Olympic athletes are doing triathlons because it’s a very difficult challenge for anybody to tackle; some people have a stereotyped image of Special Olympics in general,” Crain continued. “But what we like to say is, ‘Don’t judge me on my disability; judge me on my ability.’ These athletes are very capable of many things if we just give them the opportunity.”

Patrick McGee, St. Anthony’s Triathlon manager, said the event has always been open to athletes of all abilities. “We pride ourselves on welcoming any athlete who loves the spirit of competition,” McGee said. “We are in awe of all of our athletes but especially those who have various obstacles to overcome even before the competition begins.”