Karl Dickersbach, a Fairless Hills runner, will represent Pennsylvania at the 2026 Special Olympics USA games in Minnesota next year, writes Gray Hall for 6abc.
Dickersbach began participating in Special Olympics while in elementary school.
“With his height and his legs they let him run a little bit, and immediately that was his slot,” said his father, Erik.
Before he had already started racking up medals, the majority of which were gold.
“He’s great at the pentathlon,” said Tom Delaney, one of his coaches. “He’s great at the high jump. He’s just a natural athlete. No matter where we put him, he does well.”
Dickersbach has already done Rocky Run, the Marine Corps 10-K, Broad Street Runs, and the Penn Relays.
While he has natural talent, that is not the only thing that drives his success.
“He’s probably one of the hardest workers on our team,” said another coach, Lisa Rigefsky.
His father and his mother, Melanie, have seen their son grow through Special Olympics.
“It gives him a purpose,” said his father. “You know everybody needs purpose for something.”
It also provides him with a close-knit social network, something that is crucial to every young adult.
Read more about Karl Dickersbach at 6abc.
