Special Olympian won gold medal in Athens

Editor's note: These are the third installment in a series of profiles of athletes who will participate among hundreds of others in the Special Olympics state Outdoor Championships through today in Cape Girardeau.

Name: Kizzy Dutton

Age: 32

Hometown: Clarksdale, Mo. (near St. Joseph)

Relatives: grandmother, Edy Gann

Years in Special Olympics: Five

Team and position: Tennis

Sports played: In addition to tennis, Kizzy participates in bowling, baseball and track and field.

Question: What's the best thing that's happened to you during Special Olympics?

Answer: She recently spent three weeks participating in Special Olympics world competition in Athens, Greece. She won a gold medal for tennis in her singles division, and bronze for doubles play. Since then, at a Lees Summit, Mo., match, she won a first place gold medal for singles and silver in doubles.

Q: What do you do to train for the games?

A: Her coach worked with her several nights a week preparing for the Greece trip. She does lots of daily walking and running, averaging four miles a day.

Q: What's your favorite thing about Special Olympics?

A: Her grandmother says Kizzy normally would socially keep to herself, but feels comfortable with the Special Olympics coaches and participants, and excels there.

Looking to the trip to Cape Girardeau this weekend, Kizzy said, "I was there last year and I liked it."

Q: What do you like to do when you're not training or competing in the Special Olympics?

A: For recreation she likes to do puzzles, wordsearch and work in the farm's iris gardens.