Jason Criss, a 36-year-old swimmer from the local Central Peninsula Special Olympics team, will compete in Minnesota next year for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.

Held at the University of Minnesota from June 20 to June 26, is a “national celebration of inclusivity,” according to a press release on the event website. Thousands of athletes from across all 50 states will be competing in 16 sports.

To qualify, Criss said he had to earn gold at the state games last month and then be chosen to participate. He’ll be swimming freestyle in two distances and also joining a relay team.

Criss found out he would be traveling south for the national competition on Thursday, when coach Heidi Renner and many of his teammates surprised him with the announcement at Soldotna Creek Park.

“I’ll do the best I can,” Criss said at the park on Thursday. He expects to increase his training regimen — “swim some more laps — and warm up at next year’s Alaska summer games. As soon as that competition ends, also in June, he’ll be traveling to Minnesota.

“Only a handful” of athletes in the state get to participate at the national level, Renner said. “This is quite a big deal.”

Criss has worked for years with this goal in mind, Renner said — since he joined Special Olympics in the Matanuska-Susitna region. This year, though, Criss improved his times and earned his spot on the team.

“I can’t wait to go down, make some new friends, and enjoy it,” Criss said.

Renner said that the local Special Olympics team will host a fundraiser for Criss and also is currently bringing in new players for bocce as it readies for next year’s season.

For more information, find “Special Olympics Alaska Central Peninsula Community” on Facebook.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.