Jonathan Stoklosa won the gold medal at the Special Olympics World Summer Games and has excelled since in powerlifting competitions outside of Special Olympics.

Despite being the youngest and lightest in his weight class, he won a gold medal in the bench press with a lift of 285 points. His 340-pound dead lift earned him a bronze medal and he hoisted 240 pounds in the squat, earning him fourth place in that event.

His success in the World Games led him to enter powerlifting competitions outside of Special Olympics. His all-time best lifts have been 385 pounds in Squat, 425 in Bench Press and 425 in Dead Lift. He was a regular winner in Delaware Special Olympics competition and was named the 2006 Special Olympics Delaware Outstanding Athlete. He later won four gold medals at the 2010 USA Games. In the 2014 USA Games, he took three golds and a silver.

Born with Down Syndrome, he did not talk until he was 11. His accomplishments and dedication have been featured in Sports Illustrated for Kids, Powerlifting USA Magazine, NPR’s Only a Game, and other publications and news shows. He has also excelled in swimming, has trained as a boxer, and was a varsity wrestler at Newark High School. He speaks as an advocate and mentor for people with disabilities.