From 38-minute 5K to Special Olympics: Fynn Thome's rapid rise ahead of Saarland national games
An 18-year-old autistic runner from Schmelz-Limbach has gone from learning to run without falling to a gold medal in a year. Now he’s preparing for the national Special Olympics in Germany’s Saarland.
A year that changed everything
Fynn Thome from Schmelz-Limbach had never raced when he registered for the Special Olympics state games in 2025. He and his father Martin began running together, starting with 5-kilometre training sessions that took around 38 minutes and required walking breaks. Thome is autistic, and the early runs were a challenge for both of them.
Yet something clicked. Thome joined two local clubs and began training regularly with a group in the forest and on the track. His father noticed a transformation.
He suddenly wanted to go running more and more often.
First medals, new friends
The work paid off at the state games on the Sportcampus Saar in Saarbrücken. Thome finished the 5,000 metres in 25:39 minutes and won the silver medal. For his father, the result mattered less than the progress.
Our goal was for Fynn to run the distance without falling back into his walking pattern, regardless of time. He looked incredibly happy crossing the line and so proud to have completed that race.
Thome also formed friendships at those games that endure today.
From last place to gold
In November, Special Olympics Deutschland nominated the young Saarlander for the national Games at the Coque sports centre in Luxembourg. That race became his biggest success: after a difficult start he fought his way from last place, overtook eight competitors, and claimed the 1,500-metre gold in a personal best of 6:17 minutes.
Teammates describe Thome as a caring person who supports others away from the track.
Home games as the next step
Now Thome is one of 215 athletes from Saarland set to compete at the national Special Olympics, running from 15 to 20 June 2026. Across all regions roughly 4,300 athletes with intellectual disabilities will take part, contesting 27 sports — the largest programme ever for the national summer games of Germany’s biggest inclusive multi-sport event.
I’m already looking forward to the Special Olympics — the opening ceremony and the running.
For Thome, the games are about far more than times and medals. He is especially eager to reunite with familiar faces and meet new people; many meet-ups with athletes from all over Germany are already arranged. For him, the Special Olympics embody community, friendship, and the experience of growing beyond yourself together.
