Ambler’s Gremo shines in Seattle
Hatboro-Horsham student qualifies for Special Olympics USA Games
Hanna Gremo wasn’t expecting to make it to Seattle.
The Ambler resident and Hatboro-Horsham High School student battled through adversity. She was in and out of the hospital several times.
Nothing, however, stopped her from making it west.
“We’re very proud,” said her mom, Ellen Gremo. “It was awesome.”
Hanna Gremo not only made it to the Special Olympics USA Games — held in Seattle July 1-6, she put forth an inspired performance. The Hatter took home five awards from the competition.
She earned a silver medal on the vault, then silvered in the balance beam. She was also a silver medalist in the floor routine, then earned fourth place on the vault.
In addition, Gremo captured the bronze in the all-around.
“She always tries her best,” said Ellen, “and is always focused on doing better each time.”
Hanna’s progression the past two years was so unique, she was the lone Pennsylvania gymnast at the Special Olympics.
The local product trains year round at the Hatboro YMCA and punched her ticket to Washington by virtue of her performance at the PA Special Olympics Summer Games, held at Penn State in 2017.
There were 50 athletes from Gremo’s home state who traveled to Seattle as part of Team PA. The competition included soccer, basketball, golf, powerlifting, swimming, track and field, bocce, bowling, tennis and gymnastics.
In her free time, Hanna also swims and plays tennis. A year challenged by adversity is already filled to the brim with personal triumph.
“I don’t see us stopping,” Ellen said of Hanna’s future in gym-
nastics. “There’s no end in sight.”
Special Olympics is an International nonprofit organization providing year-round training and competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities. The organization, started by Eunice Shriver, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.