| | Special Olympics Break New Ground In Winter Games
 by Claudia Mata
ore than 1,800 athletes and coaches from 69 countries traveled to Anchorage, Alaska to enjoy sports and the spirit of competition at the 2001 Special Olympics World Winter Games from March 4-11. Special Olympics athletes competed in seven different winter sports; Cross Country Skiing, Alpine Skiing, Speed Skating, Figure Skating, Floor Hockey, Snowshoeing and Snowboarding. Similar in size to the last Olympics held in Nagano, Japan, the 2001 Special Olympics World Winter Games was the largest sporting event ever held in the history of Alaska.
The 2001 Special Olympics World Winter Games were a great success with many firsts on and off the field. Barriers were broken, medals awarded and friendships formed. Some of the highlights of the week are:
&Mac183; United States Senate Committee on Appropriation conducted a public hearing, chaired by the Honorable Senator Ted Stevens, on promoting health for individuals with Mental Retardation. Special Olympics presented a Special Report on the Health Status and of Needs of Individuals with Mental Retardation, which identifies actions to improve the quality and length of life of persons with mental retardation. A panel of distinguished speakers in the fields of mental retardation, healthcare, and physical fitness testified.
&Mac183; Snowboarding competitions were held for the first time during a Special Olympics World Winter Games, with 39 athletes from four delegations competing.
&Mac183; More than a thousand Special Olympics athletes received approximately 4,000 health screenings at the Healthy Athletes vision, dental, hearing, physical therapy and Health Promotion venues at Special Olympics Town.
&Mac183; Special Olympics and Sesame Workshop announced a multi-year partnership that will help increase acceptance of children with mental retardation around the world and help them reach their highest potential.
&Mac183; More athletes competed in Floor Hockey than any other sport, with 581 Athletes from 47 nations.
&Mac183; Volunteer support was integral to the success of the 2001 Special Olympics World Winter Games. More than 7,000 people came forward to volunteer in various capacities, ranging from staffing the sports venues to providing language services in over 28 different languages, from giving medical assistance to offering media support.
&Mac183; Sports celebrities held sports clinics for Special Olympics athletes in Alpine Ski, Cross- Country Ski, Floor Hockey, Snowshoeing, Snowboarding and Figure Skating. Imagine the thrill for the athletes, getting training and technique tips from their sports heroes.
&Mac183; The first-ever Global Family Forum gave parents the opportunity to come together to address Special Olympics President Timothy Shriver and other key representatives of Special Olympics about their thoughts on the movement. It offered families an avenue for sharing ideas and best practices in getting families involved in Special Olympics.
&Mac183; Celebrities and athletes competed in a Celebrity Ski Race, sponsored by Presence Switzerland. US Olympic Gold Medalist Bart Conner, US Snowboarder Tricia Byrnes, NASA Astronaut Bill Oefelein, NHL Hall of fame hockey players Ted Lindsay and Bryan Watson and former President of Switzerland Adolf Ogi were among the competitors.
&Mac183; The 2001 Special Olympics World Winter Games Alaska School Enrichment Program enabled students in schools from all around Alaska to share learning experiences with students from countries participating in the 2001 Special Olympics World Winter Games. Students had an opportunity to learn from and interact with individuals with different abilities and different backgrounds, while Special Olympics athletes and their coaches got the chance to experience Alaskan culture.
&Mac183; The US Department of Defense donated charter flights to 360 Special Olympics athletes and coaches from Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East and to 300 Special Olympics athletes and coaches from Latin America and the Caribbean.
The 2001 Special Olympics World Winter Games gave us first place finishes and many other progressive firsts. Athletes will never forget the thrill of competing against newly found friends and the chance to travel. There were also lessons for everyone about how we can build a more inclusive society for everyone.
Special Olympics is an international year-round program of sports training and competition for individuals with mental retardation. More than one million athletes in over 160 countries train and compete in 26 Olympic-type summer and winter sports. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics provides people with mental retardation continuing opportunities to develop fitness, demonstrate courage, and experience joy as they participate in the sharing of gifts and friendship with other athletes, their families, and the community. Athletes and their families are not charged a fee to participate in Special Olympics. For more information, visit the World Winter Games site at www.2001worldgames.org or visit www.specialolympics.org | |
