Winning Olympic gold gets sweeter each time for Mary Washington worker Grace Anne Braxton.
Grace Anne Braxton Photo by Scott K. Brown
The Eagle’s Nest dining attendant snagged a gold medal in golf at this year’s Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens, Greece. That award takes its place in what has become quite a collection for Braxton, who has long worked at UMW for Sodexo.
Since she began competing in Special Olympics at age 8, her wins have included the 2005 National Golf Championship in Ames, Iowa; the 2007 World Summer Games in Shanghai, China; and the 2010 USA National Games in Lincoln, Neb. She was featured on the cover of Virginia Golfer Magazine in 2006 and has putted her way to a plethora of sports-related honors.
Born with an intellectual disability, the Fredericksburg native found her footing in athletics. She also has competed in bowling, swimming, volleyball, skiing, and figure skating. She’s often on the Fredericksburg Country Club golf course practicing her swing. “I’m not going to stop,” she told The Free Lance-Star. “I’m going to keep going.”