When the snow starts flying, Shawna Brooks dreams of one thing. Gold.

And her quest for a third gold medal will continue this week at the Special Olympics Ohio Winter Games.

Brooks, 34, of Tallmadge, is ready for the games to begin Wednesday.

Two days of competition start at 9 a.m. with speed skating and figure skating at the Kent State University Ice Arena.

Other events, including alpine and Nordic skiing, will be at the Brandywine Ski Resort and in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

''I'm going for the gold,'' said Brooks, who began compet
ing in speed skating in high school. ''I like going fast and I love speed skating.''

Her specialty is the 50-meter sprint.

Brooks is among 50 athletes and a dozen or so coaches who will represent Summit County in the statewide competition.

The athletes are divided by gender and then split up based on qualifying times. Winners of each division are awarded gold, silver or bronze medals, along with ribbons for all participants.

''The Special Olympics Ohio Winter Games aren't nearly as big as the Summer Games,'' said Pamela Davis, director of the Summit County Special Olympics. ''Cost and weather are the two biggest factors that there are only 12 counties and 300 athletes in the Winter Games, while the Summer Games draw from all 88 counties and get more than 5,000 athletes.''

Davis said the winter competition draws the same level of intensity among the athletes as the summer event. But the skill level is higher for the winter events, she said.

''Not every normal person can or will ski or skate,'' said Davis, who played softball at Cloverleaf High School. ''And these athletes are willing to strap on a pair of skis or skates and go fast. Downhill skiing is really dangerous compared to a lot of the sports we have, but our skiers have no fear.

''The Special Olympics athletes have a special determination that most of us do not have and they will stop at nothing to achieve that goal. Their goal in life is to win that medal or a ribbon and when they do, they really light up!''

Davis said the event would not be possible without the coaches and volunteers who help train the skaters at the Kent State ice rink and work with the skiers at the Brandywine Ski resort.

'Believe me, it's the most awesome feeling for a coach to take an athlete from the beginning at practice to the end of the year, when they get a medal,'' said Davis, who coaches the softball team in the Summer Games. ''Just to see the look in the athletes' eyes and the way they light up keeps the coaches coming back year after year.

''They truly are special athletes and these are special events.''

Special Olympics Winter Games

WEDNESDAY

9 a.m. - Figure skating begins at Kent State University.

10:45 a.m. - Skiing competition begins at Brandywine Ski Resort.

11 a.m. - Skiing competition begins at Ledges Area in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

4:30 p.m. - Opening ceremonies at Virginia Kendall Lake Shelter.

8 p.m. - Presentation of skiing awards, followed by a dance.

THURSDAY

9 a.m. - Figure skating finals at Kent State University.

9:30 a.m. - Skiing finals at Brandywine Ski Resort and the Ledges Area.

1 p.m. - Skiing awards at Brandywine Ski Resort.