Pittsburgh-area athlete to represent Pennsylvania at 2026 Special Olympics USA Games
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A local athlete received some incredible news on Tuesday.
Molly Mathias learned she will represent Pennsylvania in the upcoming Special Olympics USA Games next summer.
It's the moment every athlete dreams of, being surrounded by family and friends and finding out you are headed to the Olympics, or in this case, the Special Olympics.
Mathias received the news at a special event for her at the American Eagle Outfitters offices on the South Side.
"I'm happy about that, but it was sudden," Mathias said.
Molly, a native of Bethel Park, has trained under the watchful eye of her powerlifting coach, Heather Dennis.
"Every single time she comes into the gym, she works hard. She's working on her form and getting ready for the competition," Dennis said.
Molly's specialties are deadlifts, squats, and bench presses.
"It's powerlifting, as it would be for every powerlifter. The rules of the competition. It's very rigorous training."
Molly's parents were also on hand to celebrate the achievement.
"She is very passionate about it. She goes three times a week; there's nothing she likes to do more," Molly's father Michael said. "There's a competitiveness that comes out in her. She's an athlete at heart."
Molly is just one of the many athletes from the state.
"We have 15,300 athletes across the state of Pennsylvania, [and] a little over 4,000 in southwestern Pa.," said Andrew Fee, vice president of Special Olympics Pennsylvania.
Although the Games are still a year and a half away and there's a lot of training ahead, Molly also has her share of gold from other competitions.
Can she nab one at the 2026 Games? People in the know say never bet against mighty Molly Mathias.
"We have no doubt she can do it again in Minnesota in 2026," Michael said.
"Absolutely, without a doubt, she will," Dennis said.