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    Published on May 01, 2023

    Healthpark Hosts Special Olympics Regional Swim Meet

    Owensboro Health Healthpark hosted its first Special Olympics Regional Swim Meet last Saturday, welcoming six teams and 53 athletes from across western and central Kentucky—including Daviess County. In past years, the event was held in Allen County, but a scheduling conflict led to a change in venue, and officials say the Healthpark proved to be a great fit.

    “The Healthpark is a fabulous location for this event,” said Kathy Marshall, sports program manager for Special Olympics. “The setup is wonderful, and I have really enjoyed working with the Healthpark team; Jason Anderson and Mackenzie Morris have been wonderful.”

    Cheering from sideline
    Ryan Coyne, PA for OHMG-Orthopedics, volunteered with his son at Saturday’s meet.


    The Daviess County Water Rockets brought 24 swimmers to the meet—ranging in age from 3rd grade to age 41.  Their former coach, Tony Hamilton, was on hand to cheer after coaching the team for 32 years, and he recalled a lifetime of memories that he made working with Special Olympics.

    “We always made sure the kids had fun—even if they couldn’t swim at all when they started,” Hamilton said. “These kids don’t owe us anything; we owe them everything.”

    Team Photo
    The Daviess County Water Rockets pose for a team photo prior to the start of Saturday’s meet.


    The regional meet is a qualifier for the State Games event, to take place at the University of Louisville. Teams traveled from as far away as Murray and Allen County to participate, and the stands were filled with cheering fans—a welcome sight for Healthpark Fitness Manger Jason Anderson.

    “This event is another example of what the Healthpark is all about—serving our community and helping every individual enjoy the benefits of health and fitness,” Anderson said. “We are excited to host these kids in our facility, and it has been an absolute joy to see them in action.”

    Swimmers Waming Up
    The Healthpark’s aquatics center houses a 10-lane, 25-yard competition pool and a warm-water therapy pool, making it a regional leader for swim meets and fitness programming.

    About Owensboro Health

    Owensboro Health is a nonprofit health system with a mission to heal the sick and to improve the health of the communities it serves in Kentucky and Indiana. The system includes Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, nationally recognized for design, architecture and engineering; Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital; Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center; the Owensboro Health Medical Group comprised of over 350 providers at more than 30 locations; three outpatient Healthplex facilities, a certified medical fitness facility, the Healthpark; a weight management program, and the Mitchell Memorial Cancer Center.

    On average each year, we have more than 19,000 inpatient admissions, deliver 2,000 babies and provide the region’s only Level III NICU. Owensboro Health physicians perform nearly 33,000 surgical procedures, including nearly 150 open-heart surgeries. Our physicians and staff have 90,000 Emergency Department visits and more than 1.25 million outpatient visits annually. Visit our home page for more information.