Caitlyn Calaway of Baker City with one of the medals she has won while competing in swimming events at the Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando, Florida, from June 5-12, 2022.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Baker City swimmer Caitlyn Calaway is “having the best time of my life” competing at the Special Olympics USA Games this week in Orlando, Florida.

That was Caitlyn’s text message to a query from her mother, Kareen Harris Bybee, about whether her daughter was having fun.

Caitlyn, who turns 23 this year, placed second in a preliminary heat in the 50-yard breastroke event.

She also competed in the 50-yard freestyle on Tuesday, June 7, and then was a member of Oregon’s relay team on Wednesday, June 8.

“What they do is they have them swim a preliminary for a time that puts them into a division based on their times,” Kareen said. “And then they swim a final race in that division that then awards them medals and things like that.”

Between races, Kareen said Caitlyn and the other athletes participate in team-building events, as well as visiting Disney World.

Kareen said Caitlyn has been beaming the entire time. Though she doesn’t see her daughter for more than two or three minutes after each race, they text often.

“From what I’ve heard, her first day she was pretty nervous,” Kareen said.

A lot of athletes were nervous to compete for the first time since COVID hit more two years ago. After the first rounds, they began to cheer up and Calaway was beaming.

“When she swam her second round, she had her racing stance on before she came up,” Kareen said.

Caitlyn is the first Baker County resident to qualify for the Special Olympics in more than 20 years.

“This is her first time getting to go and represent for nationals,” Kareen said in an interview last month. “It’s a big honor. She is very excited.”

Caitlyn has been competing in Special Olympics since she was in junior high, and she’s been a competitive swimmer for about a decade.