For the Hub City Times

ASPEN, CO – Special Olympics Wisconsin’s superstar snowboarder Daina Shilts will compete in the fifth annual Special Olympics Unified Dual Slalom at the X Games on Jan. 24.

Neillsville native Daina Shilts was born with a rare condition called cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome. Though her condition created some cognitive barriers in her life, it has not stopped her from becoming an athlete.

Shilts will be one of just 10 Special Olympics athletes from around the world competing in the X Games competition. She’s going for gold with her Unified Partner, Olympic gold medalist Hannah Teter. The two have been teammates for each of the five years of the event. Although Shilts and Teter have medaled in each of the four previous X Games Unified competitions, they are looking for their first gold medal in 2019.

The Special Olympics Unified Snowboarding races combine athletes – with and without intellectual disabilities – as teammates to showcase the power of Special Olympics’ Unified Sports®, which helps unite communities and foster an environment of acceptance and inclusion.

Competition will be aired Jan. 24, at noon, on X Games’ Facebook, Twitter and YouTube channels.