Rachel Mulligan joined the track and field team in high school. During her freshman year, she would get lapped during the 800-meter race. By senior year, she had improved. Mulligan was no longer finishing last.
When she joined Special Olympics after high school graduation, she kept improving, and her confidence skyrocketed.
In March, Mulligan, a UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute employee, traveled to Italy for the 2025 Special Olympics World Games. She was the lone Nebraska athlete to earn an invite.
“It was shocking,” Mulligan said of receiving her invitation. “And there was a lot of joy.”
Mulligan has been participating in Special Olympics for about 14 years. She’s tried plenty of sports — basketball, bocce ball, bowling, floor hockey, swimming, soccer and softball.
But one of her favorite sports — and the one she competed in during the Italy games — is cross-country skiing.
Shortly after high school graduation, one of her coaches noticed that Mulligan liked getting outdoors. Cross-country skiing stuck.
This was the second time Mulligan has competed in the Winter Games. She received a silver medal in the 2017 games held in Austria. This March, she received three silver medals.
Mulligan’s ties to Special Olympics date back to her grandfather, who was a volunteer at the first Special Olympics World Games in Chicago.
In Italy, Mulligan was joined by her parents and extended family. Her parents, Pam and Mike Mulligan, have seen their daughter open up since joining Special Olympics. She’s tried new sports and worked at MMI for about three years. She spent two years greeting clients at the front desk before becoming a student peer mentor. In that role, which she’s held for about a year, she helps with MMI’s transition students. She’s also participated on MMI’s bocce ball team. The season ends with a tournament through Special Olympics Nebraska.
“She’s really blossomed,” Mike Mulligan said. “She’s way more outgoing. She takes on challenges. It’s really outside of the competition where you see her growth.”
And she’s made scores of friends — some who keep in touch via social media and others who routinely mail holiday cards.
To prep for Italy, Mulligan ramped up her training. She added in running, walking and weightlifting. A season pass to Mount Crescent, in Honey Creek, Iowa, and trips to Minnesota and Colorado gave her practice on the snow, where she focused on perfecting gliding downhill.
“It’s about doing your best,” Mike Mulligan said. “That’s what she does. It’s not about the medal; it’s about the race.”
Mulligan’s advice to other athletes: “Try it and find what sticks. I love Special Olympics. It’s really helped me find my voice. Give it a try until you find what you enjoy.”