Meridian Special Olympics swimmer, Jaycie Collins, brings home another gold medal

MERIDIAN, Miss. (WTOK) - Special Olympics swimmer, Jaycie Collins, has been in the pool since she was 18 months old. All the years she has spent in the water paid off in Orlando, Florida, last month.

“It’s not everyday you get to represent your hometown in a national competition!” said Collins.

Collins qualified for the Special Olympics National competition this year which brought her and her family to Orlando. 183 Mississippi Athletes made the trip as well. Only 63 finished as gold medalist and Jaycie was one of them even though she did not know it right away.

Collins said, “At that time I didn’t have my glasses on so I couldn’t see the board. Then my coaches A.K.A. my parents told me.”

“She almost levitated off the ground she was so happy to know she had came in first place,” said Joe Collins, Jaycie’s dad and Special Olympics coach.

Jaycie won gold in the 50 meter breast stroke and also won two bronze medals. This is Jaycie’s second gold medal in her swim career.

“She did it again this year,” said Joe. “To have one of those swimmers be your daughter it’s hard to tell you how proud you are of her, knowing that she’s done her very best and that’s what we’ve always taught her. Do your very best and be proud of yourself and that’s something she’s learned very very well, that we should all learn that lesson.”

A special and hard fought moment for an athlete who lights up every room and every pool.

Joe said, “Everybody that meets Jaycie, you can’t do anything but love Jaycie. She inflicts love on everybody and she never has a bad day and thus we cannot have a bad day she doesn’t allow us to have a bad day. She wakes up with a smile and drags us along with her. We’re lucky to be her parents and were especially lucky to be her coaches too.”