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Marshall, an eighth grader at Rockway School in the Clark-Shawnee Local School District, first participated in the winter games in 2016 in the speed skating event, winning two gold medals for the same events.
He first started skating when the NTPRD Chiller opened in Springfield in October of 2013, according to his mother Rita Marshall, who said that he fell in love with skating after going with his older brother, Sam.
“Pretty much since the Chiller’s been open, he has had a pass,” she said. “He began skating with his brother and he would skate about every week.”
Thomas Marshall and his mother began looking into the winter games after participating in a Special Olympics summer program. He eventually decided to participate in the 1,000 and 1,500 meter events for speed skating, which is the longest distance that one can race in the games.
“He is a distance runner, he runs cross country in middle school and so he really has endurance,” Rita Marshall said. “He thought that he would be good for the race.”
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“It’s a self-esteem booster to participate in the Special Olympics, especially because it is a sport that not many kids he knows participate in,” Rita Marshall said. “That kind of sets him apart in that he does something unique and different from other typical middle school kids and he is successful.”
Thomas Marshall plans on competing again next year and with the help of his family, he hopes to win for a third year in a row.
“I do enjoy the experience,” he said “I made a lot of good memories doing that sport.”
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