You (will) Want to be Andy Miyares!

Here's why...in the span of one month, he swam a one-mile, open water race in Biscayne Bay with Olympian Gary Hall (finishing third in his age group overall, by the way), he was interviewed in English and Spanish by Radio Disney, he received a U.S. Master's Swimming "Top 10" award for being ranked ninth in the nation for his time in the mile (the only swimmer with intellectual disability to ever be ranked), he broke three more World records, and oh yeah, he swam with Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff.

Andy is, in short, a Special Olympics rock star. These recent accomplishments are just the latest entries in a very long list of achievements that makes him one of Special Olympics' greatest competitors and ambassadors.

At age 25, Andy has been involved in Special Olympics for 17 years. Born with Down syndrome, swimming was the ideal sport to help him improve his muscle tone and coordination. So he began his swimming career at 9 months old, and since that time the sport, and eventually Special Olympics, has been the center of his life.

When he's not training, competing or volunteering, Andy works at Special Olympics Miami-Dade's offices. He is also a Special Olympics Global Messenger and has spoken at state and international-level Special Olympics events.

But back to why we all want to either be, or be a little more like, Andy Miyares...here's what he's done in the past month alone.

First, he swam alongside Olympian Gary Hall in a one-mile, open water Nike Swim Miami race in Key Biscayne. Andy finished third out of all the swimmers in his age group with a time of 31:32. This was not Andy's first open water race, so he also served as motivator to two other Special Olympics athletes who were participating in the open water mile for the first time (pictured below on left, with Gary Hall and Broward athlete Lee Scharf, on right).

 

Also in May, Andy stopped by Radio Disney (pictured above) in Miami for both an English and Spanish interview for their weekly "Kids Concerns" show,  to speak about Special Olympics and his life. And if you live in the Miami area: tune in to AM 990 at 6:30AM on Saturday, June 6 to hear Andy!

Now comes the really big deal.

On May 1, Andy's wildest dream came true: he swam with Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff in Baltimore, MD. How it came to be: when Andy went to the Special Olympics World Summer Games in China in 2007, his swimming coach (for Team USA) was Phil Wetzler of Maryland. At the training camp preceding the Games, Andy found out that Phil coached at the Meadowbrook Aquatic Center in Baltimore, training home to Michael Phelps, his coach, Bob Bowman, and Katie Hoff. Andy said it was his dream to swim with Michael Phelps (this was even before Phelps' own history-making trip to China) and ever since then, Coach Phil had been working on making Andy's dream come true.

So on May 1, Special Olympics Baltimore held a qualifying competition at Meadowbrook and Andy was invited up as the special guest. Phil Wetzler said "I want our athletes to see what is possible with hard work and dedication to a sport. He has worked hard to become an elite athlete: I've never met an athlete with the commitment to their sport that Andy has."

Andy  gave a short speech during the opening ceremony and then,  amid a whirlwind of media and photographers, Andy and Olympians Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff, put on a swimming exhibition for the athletes: first at a slow pace so the athletes could observe their technique, then they showed why they're all world-class swimmers. Coach Bob Bowman was also in attendance and marveled at Andy's swimming prowess.

The exhibition was topped off by Phelps, Hoff and Andy swimming a medley relay, with Andy given the honor of swimming the anchor leg. Phelps and Hoff gave Andy one of their 2012 London Olympics swim caps and Phelps playfully told Andy "don't swim in anything but that."

 

After countless pictures were taken, and high-fives and hugs exchanged, Andy's mother, Ana Maria called Special Olympics Florida while still at the pool and with tears of joy in her eyes and voice, said "This is beyond unbelievable, we will never come down from this day! Katie and Michael could not have been nicer - they were both so wonderful!"

Watch video of the event (go to our "Favorites" at the bottom of our YouTube page)

Huge thanks to Coach Phil Wetzler, Katie Hoff, Michael Phelps and Special Olympics Maryland for everything they did to make the day possible! Photos of Andy, Phelps, Hoff courtesy of Steve Ruark. Video courtesy of Special Olympics Maryland.

But wait! There's more! 

Not one to rest on his laurels...the weekend of May 16, Andy set three more world records in the 400IM, 200IM and 200 Butterfly.

Speaking of laurels...Andy racked up another one on May 16, receiving a US Master's Swimming "Top 10" awards at a ceremony hosted by Florida Gold Coast swimming, in Hollywood Beach, for his 2008 time in the mile.

Andy is currently ranked ninth in the nation of everyone in his age group  (with or without disability, almost exclusively without) who swims that event in US Master's Swimming! He is the only swimmer with intellectual disability to ever receive a Top 10 ranking.

All of these accomplishments and it's not even half way through the year! We're exhausted just trying to keep up with him!

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