photo by: Contributed

Brady Tanner is pictured at the Special Olympics World Games in Turin, Italy.

After a more than three-decade-long career and a double hip replacement, many athletes would be eyeing retirement, instead of competing in a new event for the first time on a global stage.

Not Lawrence’s Brady Tanner.

Brady, who has won multiple gold medals in national and world competitions in his 34 years in Special Olympics, recently traveled to Italy for his return to the Special Olympics World Games, and placed fourth for Special Olympics USA in 50-meter and 25-meter snowshoeing races.

This was the first time Brady competed in this sport, and his mother, Janie Tanner, said that it surprised even her how fast he could go.

“We like seeing him to be able to move so much like that, because just a year and a half ago, he’s had a double hip replacement,” Janie said. “The fact that he was able to run at all was pretty amazing.”

photo by: Contributed

Brady Tanner and other special athletes following a snowshoe race.

This year’s games were in the mountains of Turin, Italy, and while Brady said his time at the games was good, it could also be scary being so high in the mountains.

“Looking down as you’re driving up the mountain, (and the) drive goes back and forth and back and forth up the steep mountain,” his father, Gary Tanner, said. “We were a little above the clouds, and you couldn’t see the bottom.”

In addition to Brady, there were four other athletes and one coach from Special Olympics Kansas. Allison Schell and Lisa Elsener competed in alpine skiing, and Bekah Henderson and Layne Warner competed in snowshoeing along with Brady, with John Lair coaching.

It’s a change of pace for Brady, whose biggest successes in national and international competition in the past were as a lifter.

In 2006, Brady competed in powerlifting — which he said was his favorite sport he’s competed in — at the Special Olympics USA Games, where he won two gold medals and one bronze medal. At the Special Olympics World Games Athens 2011, he won three gold medals and one silver medal in powerlifting.

The World Games take place every two years, alternating between summer and winter events. This year’s games were held in Turin from March 8 to 16 and featured over 1,500 athletes from 103 countries competing in eight sports – alpine skiing, cross country skiing, DanceSport, figure skating, floorball, snowboarding, snowshoeing and speed skating.

Gary described participating in the World Games as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Now, Brady’s done it multiple times, and had a great time and plenty of success.

photo by: Contributed

Brady Tanner at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy in 2025.

“We think that one of the reasons that he went to the Winter Games and for Team USA is because (while) he had both of his hips replaced, he never skipped a beat,” Gary said. “As soon as he was partially healed, he was up and getting after it again.”

The Special Olympics athletes returned home on March 17 after their competition, and Lair, who is also president and CEO of Special Olympics Kansas, said in a news release that “We couldn’t be prouder of our athletes and the entire Team Kansas delegation.”

“They’ve shown what it means to be champions both on and off the field, and we’re excited to welcome them back home to celebrate their achievements,” Lair said in the release.

photo by: Contributed

From left to right, Layne Warner of Bonner Springs, Lisa Elsner of Prairie Village, Coach John Lair, Brady Tanner of Lawrence, Allison Schell of Frankfort and Bekah Henderson of Topeka.

The winter games aren’t the only big event on Brady’s calendar this year. In the summer, he’s going to be inducted into the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame, which recognizes Indigenous athletes from 27 countries for their leadership and achievement in individual and team sports.

A banquet will be held in Wisconsin this summer to recognize the 2025 class in an exclusive ceremony, and the family is planning to attend. Last year, there were 55 inductees and 450 guests at the banquet.

It’s not the first hall of fame Brady has been inducted into. He was also the first Special Olympics athlete to be inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame and the World Association of Benchers and Deadlifters Hall of Fame.

Gary said Brady has put so much commitment into everything he’s done and earned the honors he’s been given, and that everyone involved in Special Olympics recognizes his dedication.

“They like his courage and his strength and just his commitment to the Special Olympics,” Gary said.