Portrait of an Athlete: American Andy Miyares

Oct. 4, 2007 — -- This is Andy Miyares' second Special Olympics World Games. The swimmer from Miami holds 10 world records for swimmers with Down syndrome and eight American records for swimmers with disabilities.

"My son Andy, to summarize [him] in two words, [is] 'unconditional love,'" said his mother, Ana Maria. "Maybe some people haven't met that love, but I certainly have."

Miyares was born with little muscle control.

"I felt like putting him in the water would be the answer to strengthen him everywhere. Four weeks after he started to swim he was beginning to pull himself up, to crawl just like any other kid would crawl," Ana Maria said. "From then on, I knew the water was the answer to everything in his life."

"I like to be in the water every morning, every afternoon, every day," Miyares said.

His love of swimming also taught Miyares valuable life skills.

"One of the things that swimming has created for Andy is discipline," said his father, Carlos Miyares. "Intellectually it has taught him how to count, how to pace himself. And socially [it has been] tremendous for him -- he has tremendous social skills."

Outside of the pool, Miyares said he has a great life. He dances, learned to read, and has a girlfriend and a great group of family and friends.

"I am a very happy person. I believe that I have everything in life," he said.