FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Becks Rainsberger
rainsberger@sonm.org
817-929-7786

Two Special Olympics New Mexico Athletes Finish the 2026 Jemez Mountain Trail Runs
Ben Blewett completes the 50K and Bella Sieberg completes the 15-mile

LOS ALAMOS, N.M. – May 13, 2026: This past weekend two Special Olympics New Mexico athletes earned a place among some of the toughest trail runners in the Southwest at the Jemez Mountain Trail Runs (JMTR) in Los Alamos.

Special Olympics athlete Ben Blewett completed the 50k (31-mile) course in approximately 10 hours, while Bella Sieberg crossed the finish line of the 15-mile distance in approximately 4 hours and 38 minutes. Both proudly represented Special Olympics New Mexico on one of the most demanding trail courses in the country. Additionally, these athletes will be representing New Mexico at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, June 20–26 in Minnesota. They will compete in athletics (track & field). These athletes are redefining what’s possible as they pursue ambitious goals.

The Jemez Mountain Trail Runs feature technical single-track, steep climbs and descents, and high-altitude terrain ranging from 7,000 feet to over 10,000 feet through the Jemez mountains and along the rim of the Valles Caldera.

“Ben and Bella showed what’s possible when heart meets the mountain,” said Adam Trubow, Special Olympics New Mexico board member. “Their finishes are a powerful reminder that inclusion belongs everywhere, including on some of the hardest trails in the country.”

Special Olympics New Mexico extends sincere thanks to Jemez Mountain Trail Runs race directors Laura Martinez and Maria Musgrave, whose leadership and welcoming race day environment made it possible for Ben and Bella to compete alongside the broader ultrarunning community. Their support reflects the very best of the trail running spirit and helps advance inclusion in endurance sports.

About Special Olympics New Mexico:

Special Olympics New Mexico provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities (ID), giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. Today, Special Olympics New Mexico serves more than 3,700 athletes, offering training and competition in 11 sports. Special Olympics New Mexico is sponsored year-round and statewide by New Mexico True, Law Enforcement Torch Run,
Chick-fil-A, French Funerals & Cremations, Sunny Bunny, Legacy Church, Mountain States Constructors, Inc., and Rudy’s “Country Store and Bar-B-Q”.

Learn more about Special Olympics New Mexico at sonm.org

About the Jemez Mountain Trail Runs

The Jemez Mountain Trail Runs (JMTR) are annual races held each May in Los Alamos, New Mexico. JMTR offers 50-mile, 50K, and 15-mile distances on rugged, high-altitude terrain. Learn more at jemezmountaintrailruns.org

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