MARION — Thomas Grondin spent his first nights away from home for the Massachusetts Special Olympics in Boston in early June.

Three swim events later, Grondin had three medals. He was one of more than 1,5000 athletes competing at the Massachusetts Special Olympics summer games between June 7 to June 9, which in addition to swimming had events like tennis, volleyball, powerlifting, and track and field.

A Marion resident and Old Rochester Regional High School student, Grondin said competing made him happy.

His father Leo Grondin and mother Kiyomi Grondin attended the games. Leo Grondin said it was “really inspirational to be there.” 

“It was incredible,” he said. “It was really great to see him compete.”

Grondin, 17, earned gold in the 100-yard individual freestyle swim. He earned a silver medal and personal best time in the 100-yard individual medley race, in which competitors swim all four competitive strokes butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle.

Grondin also earned a gold medal in the 4x50 freestyle relay team race. He competed in the games as a member of the Sandwich Sharks Special Olympics swim team.

The team had qualifying events in April, at which Grondin qualified for the Massachusetts Special Olympics. 

Each competition at the games had an awards ceremony. At one of the ceremonies for a race in which Grondin had earned a spot on the podium, a police officer presented the medals, which Leo Grondin said was “really nice.”

The Massachusetts Special Olympics also featured a parade of police vehicles from across the state.

Grondin said he was happy to compete in the events. The swimming made him tired, he said.

“He did a great job,” Leo Grondin said.