The Bakersfield City School District held the 44th annual Rafer Johnson Day Track Meet on Friday at the Rafer Johnson School.
The event is held each spring for approximately 300 pre-kindergarten to 8th grade students with special needs.
The school and event is named after Rafer Johnson, who is known for his achievements in the Olympics and his involvement in the Special Olympics.
In 1956, Mr. Johnson won a silver medal in the Olympic Decathlon. In 1960, he led the American team into the stadium in Rome for the opening ceremonies and then went on to win the gold medal in the Decathlon.
In 1970, Mr. Johnson helped to establish the National Special Olympics. He was inducted into the BCSD Hall of Fame in 2011.
