27-year-old Susan Kuborn, of Rockford, has won a gold medal in the 1,500 meter run at the 2019 Special Olympics World Games held in Abu Dhabi.

Kuborn was the only athlete from the stateline that will be participating.

Only 7 athletes from Illinois are competing.

“World’s is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so you get one chance,” she said in an interview. “But, with original Special Olympics for say, track and field, you get three chances. But with World’s, you still get three chances but this is once in a lifetime.”