Athletes’ Amazing Achievements

From Pensacola to Key West, Special Olympics Florida athletes continue to do amazing things, proving there is no limit to their potential. They are authors, musicians, artists, entrepreneurs, and, of course, high-performing athletes. Here are two recent examples:

Robert Norris (Polk County) and Marlynne Stutzman (Pasco County) are triathletes, competing in one of the most grueling endurance events on the planet – the full IRONMAN. The race includes a 2.4-mile open-water swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run. Competitors have 17 hours to complete the course.

In recent months, Robert, who has Down syndrome, completed a full IRONMAN in Arizona, with a finishing time of 15:35:09. He is now listed by Guinness World Records as holding the fastest finishing time for a male athlete with an intellectual disability. Guinness says he is the first athlete with Down syndrome to complete an IRONMAN without a guide.

Marlynne, meanwhile, took on and completed the IRONMAN in Panama City, Florida. Nicknamed “The Fish” because of her incredible swimming skills, Marlynne is a 2025 inductee of the Special Olympics Hall of Fame. She finished the IRONMAN in Panama City in 11:43:52 and is now the world record holder the IRONMAN women’s II1 division, a category for competitors with intellectual disabilities.

Reflecting on his race, Robert perfectly captured the spirit of all our athletes, saying, “I don’t race to prove I can. I race to show what’s possible.”