Special Olympics Florida – Monroe County athletes delivered outstanding performances at the 2025 South Region Fall Classic at Nova Southeastern University on Oct. 5, bringing home numerous medals across powerlifting and pickleball events. Representing schools and community programs from Key West to Key Largo, athletes showed determination, strength and sportsmanship on the regional stage.
In powerlifting, Coral Shores High School’s Heyden Michael Fenney captured first place in the male combination lifts with a total lift of 900 pounds. Classmate Gordon Gomila earned first place in the male deadlift, lifting 254 pounds.
Hailing from the Middle Keys, Marathon High School’s Cindy Augustin secured first place in Female Combination 2, lifting 210 pounds of total weight between her bench press and squat. Tony Barrera lifted his way to first place in Male Combination 2 for his weight class, pushing 295 pounds in the same lifts. Luis “Alex” Chavala took first place in Male Combination 2 with 265 pounds (265 total weight), while Angel Pierce and Billy Roberts earned silver medals in their weight classes for the same combination (195 and 200 pounds lifted, respectively).
Monroe County athletes also excelled on the pickleball court, a fast-growing sport in the region.
Christopher Gregory from Key West High School and Alicia Di Giuseppe from Horace O’Bryant School teamed up to claim first place in Unified Doubles, in which a special needs athlete is partnered with a neurotypical partner. The pairs of Monae Hylor and Reyna Bogins and Laila Jones and Lauren Anderson, all from the College of the Florida Keys, took second and third place in the Unified Doubles matches.
Ray Moreno from the Monroe Association for ReMARCable Citizens (MARC) program shone in individual skills, finishing in second place with 178 points. Kenny Ayers from the MARC program brought home sixth place in individual skills with 133 points.
Youth athletes also stood out, with Abraham Nava-Magdaleno and Evan Dickens from Horace O’Bryant School earning third place in Unified Doubles.
From the Upper Keys, Treasure Village Montessori’s young unified teams demonstrated skill and teamwork. Greyson Mack and Nicolai Mihalciuc earned first place in Unified Doubles (8–11 year old division). Anthony Mestre and Emmett Willis also claimed first place in their Unified Doubles bracket. Emma Rodriguez and Serenity Magee earned second place in Unified Doubles, and Brody Lint and Greyson Hawthorn also finished with second-place medals in their division.
“These results reflect the dedication of our athletes, coaches, and families,” said Ruth Coleman, sports training and competition director for Special Olympics Florida – Monroe County. “From record lifts in powerlifting to the teamwork displayed in pickleball, Monroe County athletes continue to inspire our community through inclusion and perseverance.”
The Fall Classic once again highlighted the spirit of Special Olympics, where ability, friendship and determination take center stage. Monroe County will now set its sights on upcoming state competitions, where many of these athletes will continue their quest for gold.
Statewide games for the Fall Classic will take place Nov. 13-16 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, featuring flag football, powerlifting and pickleball. The county expects representation from Key Largo School, Coral Shores High School, Key West High School, Marathon Middle/High School, Treasure Village Montessori, the MARC program and the College of the Florida Keys, Coleman said.
For more coverage of Special Olympics athletics, see next week’s edition of the Keys Weekly.
