MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — For three years in a row, pickleball has been the winner for the fastest-growing sport in the country. It has increased participation by more than 150 percent over the past three years, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association.

Pickleball is one of Warren Heartleb’s favorite activities, once a week he plays pickleball for about an hour, and hes been a Special Olympics athlete for 40 years.

“I started at age 12,” he said.

He has competed in several different sports throughout his life. And through all of them, he found great success on the tennis court, even winning gold medals at events.

“It’s so much fun so much fun getting to play against really good teammates,” he said.

Pickleball is the most recent sport to be added to Special Olympics in Manatee County with some help from USA Pickleball.

Theresa Capozzoli is a USA Pickleball ambassador and loves the sport, and is also a pickleball coach for Special Olympics Florida.

“I wanted to be able to introduce it to Special Olympics. I wrote them a letter and I don’t know how its happened, but they acknowledged it and I was able to be a coach for Special Olympics pickleball,” she said.

She has a personal connection to the non-profit organization.

Theresa’s sister had Down Syndrome and was a Special Olympics athlete. Her sister passed away at the age of 58.

“She was my inspiration for wanting to play in Special Olympics again,” she said.

These three athletes and one unified partner received an invite-only opportunity to compete in the Special Olympics world tournament in Orlando.

Athletes of similar skill levels are paired together.

Certain rules were changed for some athletes such as a double bounce allowance.

“I'm excited to go to Orlando to compete in tennis and pickleball and go home with double gold if we can,” he said.

It's a competition with two goals to win and have fun along the way.

The state games are held in Orlando in May.