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Tommy Sliva Gets a Golden Opportunity

Thomas Sliva with coach Duncan Myers on the podium at Special Olympics Indiana World Winter Games

Tommy Sliva is getting an opportunity to compete in the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Torino, Italy, a lifelong dream that took some time to become reality.

The Special Olympics Indiana Marion County-Northeast athlete originally was selected to participate in the 2021 World Winter Games, which first were postponed to 2022, then canceled outright.

He will compete in Alpine skiing as part of the U.S. delegation.

With four years to prepare, Sliva has used the time to work on his physical strength along with his skiing skills.

“I go to the gym, lift weights,” Sliva said. “I took a class called Muscle-Up. I train with my new boots in the snow and do pacer-lap tests.”

Sliva’s coach, Duncan Myers, also is preparing for Turin. Myers is a U.S. Alpine skiing coach and will mentor Sliva and three others. He has spent these past months evaluating his athletes and watching their progress.

“I have to use certain benchmarks to monitor the progress of certain workouts that are used for the altitude of the mountains,” Myers said. “I have four athletes from different states … one in Indiana, one in South Dakota, one in Michigan and one in Pennsylvania.”

Sliva is excited about the opportunity of being able to visit Italy and to meet people from throughout the world. He is the lone athlete representing Indiana.

“I am looking forward to eating some new Italian food, making new friends and exploring,” Sliva stated.

Myers has some sightseeing plans as well.

“I am hoping we get the opportunity to see the Shroud of Turin, which is the cloth that Jesus was buried with,” Myers said.

Most importantly, Sliva has been preparing for the Games by competing in team trials. Sliva took part in the Special Olympics Indiana Winter Games earlier this week as well, lighting the torch alongside his coach, before competing in the Super G and Giant Slalom, the same events he will take on in Turin.

Sliva and Myers depart in early March, arriving in the Northern Italian city in time for the World Winter Games on March 8-15.

Sliva’s No. 1 goal is to stand on the podium in Turin, bringing medals home to Indiana.

“I hope to win a gold medal, but silver and bronze would still be awesome,” Sliva said. “Most importantly, I am excited about the opportunity to go and meet new friends.”

Learn more about the 2025 World Winter Games.

About the author: Liam Price represented the United States at the 2023 World Summer Games in Berlin, Germany. He earned a silver medal as part of the 200-meter relay team.