TANEYTOWN,
Md. – Charles Syd Lean of Taneytown has been involved
in competitive cycling since he was three years old, riding
away with countless medals, awards, titles and trophies. But
most recently Syd participated in the 2007 Special Olympics
World Summer Games and left an Olympic champion.
Syd
won gold medals in the 15k road race and 40k road race and
won silver in the 25k road race in the top-seeded division.
“It
was good,” Syd simply said of his experience at the
Olympics. For three weeks Syd was in China, training prior
to and participating in the Olympic Games, which gave him
quite a bit of time to take in the culture.
“It
was alright,” Syd said of the food, adding that using
chopsticks was a bit tricky.
To
prepare for the Olympics and all of his competitions, Syd
trains four times a week, often cycling the 15 miles to
his job at Mount Saint Mary’s University, where he
works on the grounds crew.
Syd’s
father and mother, Robert and Tracy, are avid cyclist themselves
and go on rides with Syd occasionally, which can test their
stamina more than Syd’s.
“He’s
very strong… so it’s nothing when he drops me,”
Robert said. “When he wants to go, I can’t hold
his wheel.”
That
determination and strength seems to be a key in Syd’s
ability to blow away the competition. At the most-recent
Special Olympics Syd faced stiff competition and in the
midst of a race, while his coach was shouting advice from
the sideline, Syd did the one thing he could, ride hard.
“I’m
doing what I’m doing,” Syd shouted to his coach,
racing away to victory.
With
the Olympics behind him, for now, Syd continues to train
for that next competition and makes plans for the future.
Although some may consider Syd’s intellectual disability
just that, a disability, it’s not so for his family
or Syd, who is as able and determined as any.
After
taking his driving permit test 20 times, Syd received his
permit and is in the process of clocking his driving time
and thinking about which car he may buy; right now it’s
a smart car, a green one, because it’s safe and cheaper
on gas.
With
the next Olympics a few short years away and many competitions
held between now and then, there is no doubt that Syd will
continue to excel in his sport and race away victorious,
because as Robert said, “Syd never wants to give up.”
