Loretta Claiborne: The Finish Line and Beyond

She has competed in 30 marathons and twice placed in the top 100 at the Boston Marathon. She has earned her black belt in karate and completed triathlons. She knows the power of dedication and what it takes to literally go the distance. Chief Inspiration Officer of the Special Olympics Loretta Claiborne will do whatever it takes to get to the finish line, and her unwavering advocacy for people with intellectual disability reflects that same determination.

Loretta grew up in York, Pennsylvania, born partially blind and mentally challenged, in a household she shared with her single mother and six siblings. She said that she might never go to school, that she would never be able to read, that she would never work, that she told herself otherwise. In 1966, she took up running, an outlet that brought her more relief than any drug she had ever been prescribed. A high school counselor soon noticed and recommended she participate in the York County Special Olympics. That was her golden ticket.

Since then, she has represented Special Olympics as a global spokesperson, sharing the lived experience of true inclusion. Speaking to underserved youth communities, Loretta has learned how important your voice can be in inspiring change. Her voice was recognized in 1996 with the ESPY Award-Arthur Ashe Award for Courage and four years later her life was told in Walt Disney Productions’ “The Loretta Claiborne Story.”

Her story is being told in a new way, with the release of her book in June 2026.”LORETTA: The finish line is just the beginning” shows that the finish is not the end, but the beginning of something more. Loretta Claiborne’s story invites readers to see skills in new ways and recognize the potential in everyone.

More information at www.lorettabook.com.