Pensacola Special Olympian heading to Slovakia for triathlon
When Special Olympics Florida official Michael Stone was looking for triathletes about three years ago, he urged Pensacola's Frankie Russell to give it a try.
"I can do that," Frankie replied. No matter that Russell, who has autism and deals with communication issues, was already 20 years old and had never ridden a bike before. And he was still learning right up to the competition.
"He was still practicing riding and turning in the hotel parking lot in Clermont," said Stone, Special Olympics Florida Area 1 community engagement senior manager. "He was 100% committed. His goal is to be an Ironman. You ask him to do something and that's his answer ‒ 'I can do that.'"
Russell, now 23, will travel to the Central European country of Slovakia next month to compete in the Challenge Family Triathlon Series, an exclusive competition in partnership with Slovakian Special Olympics. Russell, who lives with his parents Rain and Randy Russell in Pensacola, is just one of three Florida Special Olympians who have qualified for the event.
"I'm very proud and actually excited to go to Slovakia," said the athletic-looking Russell, who is 6 feet, 1 inch tall and who now weighs 190 after losing about 70 pounds a few years ago during a Special Olympics fitness program challenge. "As a child, I always wanted to travel the world and see new places. An opportunity like this is truly magical."
Russell will be traveling with the Special Olympics Florida coaches, fellow athletes and contingent, but without his parents.
Is he nervous?
"Oh, yes I am," he said. "I will be all by myself in another country and my family is staying in America."
His mother, Rain Russell, said she is so nervous for him, that "I haven't had time to be nervous for myself yet."
"I'm so proud," she said of Frankie, the youngest of the couple's three children. "Thinking about what he's accomplished, I'm going to cry."
Father Randy Russell said his son's social and communicative growth skyrocketed when he first started getting into sports and the Miracle League, as well as attending East Hill Academy, a Pensacola school for autistic children.
"He was barely communicable at that time,'' Randy Russell said. "Since then, he's grown in leaps and bounds."
How so?
"He's a ham,'' his father said. "He'll make jokes and make light of things. He can be silly. He's not shy, just he does have communication issues."
Frankie Russell is more than an athlete.
"I call him my Rennaissance man," Stone said. "He's talented in so many areas."
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Frankie Russell has taken art classes and cooking classes with Autism Pensacola, has learned the art of being a grill master from his father, and even surfs, plays golf, tennis and volleyball.
"It's pretty exciting for us as a family," Randy Russell said. "He's going to Slovakia by himself. That's a pretty big deal."
Rain was asked what she hopes for Frankie down the road.
But down the road is here.
"I think it's happening now," she said. "He's branching out in so many ways. Even five years ago, I didn't know he would accomplish so much. Now look at him."
She glanced at her handsome son on his bicycle.
"I'm so proud." Again, she threatened to cry.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola Special Olympian Frankie Russell going to Slovakia Triathlon
