When most people think of the Special Olympics Massachusetts Summer Games, they might picture a loud roar of the crowd and athletes sprinting outside under the June sun. But just a few steps away is a part of the Games many don’t see—where athletes like Jimena Flores Del Cid show what a different form of inclusion can look like. The Gordon Indoor Track houses Special Olympics MA’s assisted track events, designed for athletes who use wheelchairs, walkers, or other mobility support.

At nine-years-old, full of determination, and beaming with the biggest eyes, Jimena made her Special Olympics debut at this year’s Summer Games. She also happens to be non-ambulatory and Deaf; but that didn’t stop her from bringing home two gold medals.

He mom Evaline explained, “She doesn’t talk, she doesn’t hear, and she even doesn’t walk. She goes to a special school in Framingham. That’s how she heard about Special Olympics.”

Jimena is a student at the Marie Philip School in Framingham,  which enrolls deaf and hard of hearing students from Pre-K to Grade 12+.  Jimena learned about Special Olympics through her school community and dove into the experience head on.

She competed in the tennis ball throw and the 50-meter wheelchair race. As Jimena pushed toward the finish, her parents, younger sister, coaches, and staff stood on the sidelines, signing “cheering” in American Sign Language (hands waving in the air) celebrating every inch she covered.

Her smile said everything.

Her mom, Evaline, was extremely happy to be able to watch her daughter participate in sports. “I don’t how to speak about what I am feeling inside,” she said.

As Jimena was receiving a gold medal at the awards station, her little sister ran up to her, wrapped her arms around her, and gave her a big kiss on her cheek—her own way of showing just how proud she was of her big sister.