BEYOND THE CARIBBEAN SEA- Athletes of eighteen Special Olympics Car-ibbean programmes competed in a series of sporting events at the World Summer Games in Ath-ens, Greece. This was a momentous occasion as the athletes displayed their bravery and resilience while engaging in different sporting events. To participate, to defy the odds, to do their best- they

are all winners.

Ethel van Heningen and Ruthmalda Raphaela

of Special Olympics Curacao on the award stand to receive ribbons for bowling

Athletes of Special Olympics Barbados—proud of the victory

For most athletes, it was their first appearance at the World Games and many are already talking about their next chance to represent their country. The 2013 World Winter Games will be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, but the real focus will be on the next World Summer Games, which will be in Los Angeles in 2015.

VICTORY AT THE WORLD SUMMER GAMESVICTORY AT THE WORLD SUMMER GAMESVICTORY AT THE WORLD SUMMER GAMESVICTORY AT THE WORLD SUMMER GAMES

July 7, 2011July 7, 2011July 7, 2011July 7, 2011 Volume 1, Issue 17Volume 1, Issue 17Volume 1, Issue 17Volume 1, Issue 17

Special points of

interest:

• Over 100 medals

for Special Olympics

Jamaica

• Twenty-six medals

for Suriname

• Eight Gold for the

US. Virgin Island

• SO Haiti represents

in Football

Inside this issue:

SO Guadeloupe: Gold and Basketball

2

SO Barbados: Strong com-petition

2

SO Jamaica: A golden journey

2

SO Haiti: Setting the foundation

3

SO St. Lucia: Medals in Track and Field

4

SO The Bahamas: Bucket of Medals

5

SO Guyana: Special Gold 6

SEVEN athletes competed and seven medals were awarded to Special Olympics Barbados at the World Summer Games. The athletes competed in Bocce, Track and Field and Table Ten-nis and they took a premium spot on the awards stand. Barbados captured their first Gold through the tremendous performance of 14 year-old Rashad King. Rashad played a total of eleven games in the Boy’s Single Table Tennis com-petition, not losing a single game. Nikita Maycock was also a fierce competitor as she blazed

the track to capture the gold medal in the women’s 100 Me-tre. Marwyn Lorde took the silver medal in the Men’s 100 Metre Run. Going the distance with a time of 55.12, Korey Kellman finished 3rd in the 400 metres to win the bronze medal. Natalie Daniel, who got a first place in her qualifying heat, withstood strong competition to win a Bronze Medal in the Women’s 100 metre run. Nata-lie also competed in 4x100 relay with Barbados teammates Korey Kellman, Marwyn Lorde and Nikita Maycock, where the team

placed 6th in the relay. Winning the bronze medals in Bocce were Laura Sobers in the Women’s Singles Bocce and Justin Ed-wards in the Men’s Singles Bocce. Special Olympics Barbados triumphs in victory.

Special Olympics Barbados: Strong Competitors

Special Olympics Jamaica: “A Golden Journey”

placed 1st in the 100M Run, Reith-chie Owen placed 1st in the 100M Run, Calana Tugman, 15- year- old, placed 1st in the 100M Run and Netisha Williams, 14-year- old, placed 1st in the 100M Run.

Calana Tugman, Primose Lafay-ette, Netiesha Williams, and Monique Dubidad, not only placed first in their respective individuals events, they also placed 1st in the 4x100 relay.

In Bocce, 25- year -old, Shereen Gordon clinched four gold med-als. In Aquatics, 25-year-old Jona-than Lowe grabbed gold after winning the M10 100m freestyle at the Olympic Stadium Aquatics Arena.

In football, Jamaica kept their title hopes alive after they were awarded a 3-0 win over Russia. Head of delegation Lorna Bell said "favourites Russia failed to take the field because of numer-ous yellow cards, along with three yellow cards received in their previous game". Jamaica also won football matches played with Uruguay, 2-0 and Denmark, 1-0 which brought home scores of silvers medals for the eleven players football team.

The legacy of Special Olympics Jamaica continues as they widen their collection of World Games medals.

EIGHTEEN gold, over eighty silver and six bronze medals went to Special Olympics Jamaica as they competed with a delegation of forty-three athletes. The team competed in Track and Field, Football, Badminton, Aquatics, Roller Skating, Bocce and claimed victory in every sporting event.

In Track and Field, Nigel Davis, 34-year old, placed 1st in the Half Marathon, Nembhard Burke, 20- year- old, placed 1st in the 200M Run, Christopher Donaldson placed 1st in the 100M Run, Monique Dubidad, 18-year-old, placed 1st in the 200M Run, An-dre Hendricks, 26-year-old, placed 1st in the 500M Run, Pri-mose Lafayette, 16-year- old,

Page 2

From left in front: Natalie Daniel (athletics), Nikita Maycock (athletics), Laura Sobers (bocce) From left in the second row: Antoinette Sealy (bocce coach), Thelma Brathwaite (SOB Chairman). Marwyn Lorde (athletics), Dawn Rudder (table tennis coach), Carrison Henry (SOB National Director) From left in back: Paulette Smith (athletics coach), Korey Kellman (athletics) Rashad King (table tennis), Justin Edwards (bocce)

From left in front: Jonathan Lowe (gold medalist-aquatics), Rachael Charles. From left in back: Luthrenia Erskine, Coach Gabriel Heron, Shawnette Lorraine - SO Jamaica assistant aquatics staff and Andrew Bartholomew.

Special Olympics Guadeloupe: Gold and Basketball

FOURTEEN medals for Special Olympics Guadeloupe as they competed in Track and Field, Basketball and Aquatics. Guadeloupe took home their gold from athletics as 20-year-old Marysa Antonie competed in the 200M run. Marysa also placed 3rd in the 100M run. The Eleven player unified basketball team gave their opponents a good flight as they places 3rd in the competition. The team competed against Turkey, Puerto Rico and Cyprus with strong defensive tac-tics. Special Olympics Guadeloupe received a bronze medal in 50M freestyle swimming from Nathanael Merciris.

Marysa Antoine –Gold medalist of Special Olympics Guadeloupe

FIVE GOLD, five bronze and three silver, Special Olympics Curacao sets the record as they competed in Bocce, Aquatics, Powerlifting and Bowling. Ger-main Lourens placed 1st in the 50M breaststroke swim with a time of 51.66 secs. Wensley Gysbertha and Mitchel Lopez defended the Curacao colours in Greek water as he went the dis-tance in the 1500M Open Water Swim.

Wensley placed 1st in the 1500M open water swim, M2 Division, with a time of 39 min, 14.65 sec. With a even faster time, Mitchel placed 2nd in the 1500M open water swim, M5 Division, with a time of 33 min, 40.30 secs.

Curacao athletes, Nurka Veris and Rorandy Foendoe, knocked down balls to receive three gold medals in the Bocce doubles and it was Rorandy who placed 3rd

in Bocce singles to take home four Bronze medals for Curacao. Athletes, Ruthmalda Raphaela and Reynald Pieters were the ones to knock down a few pins for Curacao’s silver and bronze medal in the bowling singles.

The strong man from Winkel di Fishi Camilo Montesant con-tained his nerves in the deadlift event and now is one big smile after placing 2nd in powerlifting.

formed this team in January

2010. We do not expect medals,

but we believe that our participa-

tion is already a victory for our

country” . The football players

competing at the World Games

included Moise Charles, Paolo Hercule, Peterson Leo, Gedeon Macean, Jamesley Pierre and Wooldy Poulard. In a first time

SIX athletes of Special Olympics

Haiti competed in the 5- side

football team against Italy, Malta

and Isle man. This is the second

time that a Haitian delegation

has been represented in the

World Games but it was their

first time competing in football.

Head of the Haitian delegation,

Millien Chery, explained “ We

experience at the World Games,

the players placed 4th in the

competition .

Special Olympics Curacao: Continues to Smile

Special Olympics Haiti: Setting the Foundation

Special Olympics Trinidad and Tobago: Riding On Gold

field included 21– year old, La-toya Charles in the 100M run,

Samantha Lawrence in the

25M run and Yatendra Singh in

the 800M run.

In aquatics, the 4x25 freestyle

relay team of Makiba Baptiste, Curt Clarke, Nikoli Lalla and Anya Adams got gold medals.

Following the lead, Rohanny Dhanoo, 16-year-old, placed 1st

in the 25M Freestyle.

Horseback riding was a specialty

among the Trinidad and Tobago

athletes as Chantel Julien, Shaddai Simon, Christel Per-kins, Giselle Benjamin and Shaquella Rapier got a total of

7 gold medals for equestrian.

Altogether, Trinidad and Tobago

stood strong as an all star team.

SEVENTY FOUR strong dele-

gation of coaches and athletes of

Trinidad and Tobago took home

thirty eight medals. The athletes

competed in eight disciplines

(aquatics, athletics, basketball,

bocce, equestrian, football, pow-

erlifting, volleyball) and re-

corded a record medal haul of 15

gold, 15 silver, 8 bronze and 28

ribbons for other placings. The

gold medalists from track and

Page 3

Volume 1, Issue 17

Silver medalist Camilo Montesant of Silver medalist Camilo Montesant of Silver medalist Camilo Montesant of Silver medalist Camilo Montesant of

Special Olympics Curacao. Special Olympics Curacao. Special Olympics Curacao. Special Olympics Curacao.

Coaches and young athletes of Camp Shriver in Coaches and young athletes of Camp Shriver in Coaches and young athletes of Camp Shriver in Coaches and young athletes of Camp Shriver in

2010 as Special Olympics Haiti began the process 2010 as Special Olympics Haiti began the process 2010 as Special Olympics Haiti began the process 2010 as Special Olympics Haiti began the process

of rebuildingof rebuildingof rebuildingof rebuilding.

"Let me win.

But if I cannot

win, let me be

brave in the

attempt."

NINETEEN athletes of Special Olympics Aruba set out for gold as they competed in seven sport-ing events for which they claimed seven gold, fourteen silver and two bronze. This is a noble improvement after partici-pating in the 2007 Summer Games in Shanghai, China where they brought home 5 gold medals, 4 silver and 14 bronze. In Athletics, Genesis Bruges, 12-year-old, placed 1st in the 25M run and 2nd in the softball throw. Christopher Lejuez, 19-year-old, placed 1st in the Stand-ing Long Jump and 2nd in the

100M run and Michael- Angelo Orman placed 1st in the 50M Run. In Bowling, Vanessa Bernabela placed 1st in singles and Jhorzy Arias placed 2nd in the singles and 1st in the doubles with Joshua Tromp. For aquatics, Darling Gomes placed 1st in the 25M breast-stroke and also got a ribbon for participating in the 50M Free-style. Jermemy Didier and Dairylis Geerman brought home 8 silver

medals in the Bocce singles. Getting 3 silver medals in bad-minton, was Elderick Kock who helped to push Aruba into the champion league.

Special Olympics Aruba: A Champion League

Special Olympics US Virgin Islands: Trains Hard and Wins Big

3Kg, Khaleil Myers placed 1st in the 100M and Timothy Laurent, 18-years-old, placed 1st in Long Jump. Bill Green, the most senior athlete of the group, took on a leadership role with his younger USVI team-mates on and off the field. He teamed up with Danilo Miranda to win a silver medal in the dou-bles bowling event, and he came home with two ribbons as well. Miguel Castro and Ebony Roumo won four bronze medals in the Tennis doubles and it was Mi-

chael Pesante who took home medals in aquatics for the 100M Freestyle swim and the 200M Breaststroke. In awe with a 25 medal tally for the US Virgin Island, Track and field coach, Carol Mestemarker said "But when you look at it, this group trained hard. We worked out three, four times a week, and then all of a sudden, everything came together. These guys were ready."

FOURTEEN athletes of the US Virgin Islands competed in track and field, swimming, bowling, tennis and powerlifting at the World Summer Games. The team declares victory with eight gold, three silver and fourteen bronze medals. On the second day of competition, Nathan Edwards won three gold medals and a bronze medal in powerlifting and it was Arturo Gill who lifted a total of 876.6 pounds to win two gold, a silver and a bronze medal . In athletics, Jamesha Barnes placed 1st in Shotput Women

Page 4

Special Olympics Aruba athletes and well wishers as they prepared for the World Summer Games

Special Olympics US Virgin Islands athletes and staff after the World Games.

Special Olympics St. Lucia: Medals in Track & Field

EIGHTEEN St. Lucian journeyed to Greece to compete in Bocce, Athletics and Football. The Special Olympics St. Lucia 7 side football team, were first timers as they competed at the World Summer Games and on a bigger field. The team- Darwin Simon, Denver Monchery, Carlum Laur-ency, Jean Paul Isidore , Travis Charley, Neville Darcy and Dar-ren Monrose—maintained

composure as they tackled strong competitors from Iceland, Austria and Montenegro for the 4th place ribbon. In Bocce, Cecil Fevrier also re-ceived three 4th place ribbons. In athletics, 19 year old, Danny Billy placed 2nd in the 200M run and 4th in the 100M Long Run. Marvin Emmanuel received two bronze medals for the 50M Run

and the Softball Throw. Shanice Stewart received a bronze medal in the 100M run.

Special Olympics St. Lucia athletes and coaches at Castries Comprehensive Secondary School in August 2010.

THIRTY MEDALS were awarded to The Bahamas 38– athlete team. In Track and Field, the team raked up 4 gold medals from Justin Beneby in the 200M Run, Jeremy Culmer in the 400M Run, Wendolyn Rus-sel in the 25M Run, Benjamine Clarke in the 100M run and got 8 gold medals from the 4x100 male and female relay teams. The Bahamas had a record total of twelve medals in track and field after receiving an additional 4 silver medals and 3 bronze. Aquatics was also a strong event for the Bahamian athletes - Ke-

chnell Knowles placed 1st in the 50M Backstroke and 2nd in the 50M Freestyle, Alvia Penn placed 1st in the 25M Butterfly and 2nd in the 50M freestyle and Rashad Price placed 2nd in the 25M Breaststroke. Another three medals came from Tennis as Dwanika Rose med-alled in the Tennis singles with silver and Adrian Robinson and Zekumba Major placed 3rd in the Tennis doubles. The silver medal awarded to Antonine Adderley in the

Bocce singles and the double bronze medals to Kenva Knowles and Latonia Rahming filled The Bahamas bucket at the World Summer Games.

and Cindy Whittaker , 15-years-

old, blazed the tracks in the

200M Run where they placed

3rd.

In the water, the athletes kept the

pace with Andrew Smiley swimming the 1500 M open

water swim in 22 minutes and

0.77 seconds to receive the gold

medal and placing 2nd in the

ELEVEN medals went to Spe-

cial Olympics Cayman Islands

whose athletes competed in

Aquatics, Bocce and Track and

Field sport events.

On Land, the Mark Ebanks bought home the gold in the

Bocce singles and Elena Owlan was awarded the bronze.

Shanike Ebanks, 17-years-old,

800M Freestyle. Quinton Ebanks, 14-years-old, received

two silver medals for the 100

and 200 Metre Breaststroke and

a bronze for the 100M individual

medley. Kanza Bodden re-

ceived two silver medals for the

50M Backstroke and the 50M

Freestyle.

Special Olympics The Bahamas: Bucket of Medals

Special Olympics Cayman Islands: Fast on Land and Sea

Special Olympics St. Kitts & Nevis: Bocce Challengers

known as lawn bowling, is a

game where players toss balls at

a smaller target ball. Good tosses

came from Rojen Felix who placed 2nd in the Bocce sin-

gles and 3rd in the doubles with

Berebice Jiminez.

In track and Field, Sisqo Phillip placed 3rd in the 100M run and

Valencia Wilkinson placed 3rd

in the 200M run. The 4x 100

relay team—Ashimo Freeman, Melony Greene, Sisquo Phillip and Valencia Wilkinson– were

award four bronze medals.

TWELVE athletes from St. Kitts

and Nevis competed at the

World Summer Games. The

team took home a total of nine

medals, three of which came

from Bocce competitions. After

challenging the West Indies

Cricketers in bocce earlier this

year, the team was more adept

for the competition they faced at

the world games. Bocce, also

Page 5

Volume 1, Issue 17

Benjamine Clarke of Special Olympics The Bahamas in Benjamine Clarke of Special Olympics The Bahamas in Benjamine Clarke of Special Olympics The Bahamas in Benjamine Clarke of Special Olympics The Bahamas in

the 4x 100 relay at the World Summer Gamesthe 4x 100 relay at the World Summer Gamesthe 4x 100 relay at the World Summer Gamesthe 4x 100 relay at the World Summer Games

Special Olympics Cayman Athletes at the World Summer Games.

"Winners in the

struggle for our

respect in their

diversity"

EIGHT bronze medals went to the eight footballers who repre-sented Belize in the 5 side foot-ball competition at the World Summer Games. The football team competed Indonesia, Chile and Singapore . According to the Special Olympics Belize Chair-man, Alan Auil “ They played a round robin in the group phase and after the group phase they played for the bronze medal and in the bronze medal match they beat Indonesia two to nil”. The Chairman also noted that “In every previous time we have

been to world summer games for Special Olympics it has been track and field or what people would call athletics event this is the first time we participated in a team sport. For the first time we have been doing the five aside football, it is also the first inter-national competition for us in five a side football. The interest-ing thing is that Special Olym-pics did not announce the age group that would have competed at this year’s world summer games and according to their own rules they have various age

categories, 8 to 11, 12 to 15, 16 to 21 and over 21 and so we prepared for the 12 to 15 age group and it turns out that they had an open competition and so they were no age categories and so our boys who were between the ages of 12 and 15 competed against grown adults and so really they did very well consid-ering that they were physically smaller than all the teams they competed against.”

Special Olympics Belize: Medals in Football

Special Olympics Suriname: Long Jump to Victory

200M run. Silver medals were awarded to Rochano Sankes for the 200M Run and Steven Vreugd for the 100M Run. Savara Kwasie took home the gold in the 200M Run and a silver in the 100M Run. In aquatics, Hessa Vianen placed 1st in the 50M freestyle. Rachel Veldkamp placed 3rd in the 50M Freestyle and the 50M Breaststroke. Latoya Danning gave a boost to Suriname medal tally as she placed 1st in Gymnastics

Rhythmic Ribbons, 2nd in the rhythmic ball and re-ceived 2 bronze medals in the rhythmic hoop. Sherida Harper medaled in bocce with four silver and Lorenzo Boobo was awarded the bronze.

TWENTY SIX medals were awarded to Special Olympics Suriname as they competed in Athletics, Aquatics, Bocce and Gymnastics. Athletics, particularly long jump, was a strong event for Suriname as Lorenzo Wil-liams placed 1st in Long Jump and 2nd in the 50M run. Jo ann Landvreugd, 14-years-old, placed 1st in Long Jump. Chemelva Danti and Juan Dahl, 16-years-old, also placed 1st in Long Jump. Che-melva also placed 2nd in the

Page 6

Raul Ulloa of Honduras (L) and Leanzo Williams of Suriname compete at the 50 meters run at the Athens 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games on June 30, 2011 in Athens, Greece

Special Olympics Guyana: Special Gold

THREE participation ribbons were awarded to Special Olympics Guyana. Eighteen year old Coline Robert re-ceived the 4th place ribbon for the 25M Backstroke and 5th place ribbon in the 50M freestyle. However it was Delroy Sookram struck gold

for Guyana at the World Sum-mer Games. Sookram was awarded 1st place in the 25M Backstroke and a participation ribbon in the 50M freestyle. Of the six Guyanese athletes who have been in training for the World Games, Coline

Roberts and Delroy Sookram were the two athletes selected to attend the Summer Games and they have made their fellow athletes proud with a special gold.

Delegation of Special Olympics Guyana en route to the World Games

Football athletes of Special Olympics Belize at the World Summer Games.

FIVE athletes represented Montserrat at the World Summer Games in Bocce and Athletics. The team later took home three medals and seven ribbons. The gold medal for Monster-

att was awarded to Javell Tuitt who placed 1st in Soft-ball Throw. Javell also re-ceived a silver medal for Standing Long Jump. Twenty year old, Akiem Glaloway placed 3rd in the

25M Run. Montserrat re-ceived seven 4th place rib-bons in Bocce from Dylan Demetre and Jo-Ann Julian who participated in Bocce singles and doubles competi-tions.

Special Olympics Montserrat: A Softball Throw Gold

Special Olympics St. Maarten: Eleven Contenders

and three bronze. Jivanana Claxton placed 1st in Long Jump with her twim, Jivanta Claxton winning a bronze in the 50M Freestyle swim. Katrina Pierre won two gold medals for St. Maarten in the 400M Walk and Shot-put Women-3k. Stafano Garden, 16-years-old, placed 3rd in the 100M run and Marijke Richardson placed 3rd in

Lo ng J ump . Natha n Molineau was awarded 2nd placed in the 50M freestyle and 3rd placed in the 25M Breaststroke. Forty-five year old, Miland Rogers, placed 2nd in the 400M walk; as she demon-strated that Special Olympics St. Maarten is a strong con-tender.

ELEVEN ATHELES and eleven medals for Special Olympics St. Maarten as the athletes competed in Track and Field, Swimming and Bocce. St. Maarten has made a record improvement in their performance since the last World Games in Shanghai, China, where they won one gold and two silver medals. In Athens, Greece, the team won three gold medals, three silver

Page 7

The eleven athletes of Special Olympics St. Maarten who competed at the World Summer Games.

Special Olympics Dominican Republic : Strikes gold in Softball

Special Olympics Bonaire: Bocce Champions

OVER SIXTY MEDALS for Special Olympics Bonaire as they competed in Aquatics, Bocce, Athletics and Bowling. The bocce team of Revelino Engelhart, Kennedy Piar, Swinda Offerman and

Magriet Anthony collectively won over thirty medals in their individual bocce single and for the bocce doubles. Marion Melaan took home 2nd place in the 100M run and 3rd place in the 200 M run. Marcelino

Josefa won a bronze medal for his 50M run. In bowling, Omar Leonicia and Cheryl Cicilia won two silver med-als in the bowling doubles.

THIRTEEN gold, twelve silver and 1 bronze medal went to the Dominican Republic as they excelled in Softball and Basketball. Eleven softball athletes received eleven gold medals after competing with Canada and Australia. The Dominican Republic collected more gold medals from Liz Fernandez who placed 1st in the 25M Freestyle and Alejandro Batlle placed 1st in golf. The eleven athlete Basketball Unified team placed 2nd in their competition withPuerto Rico. Ramon Montero also received a silver medal in the 10,000 M run and Maridalia Brito won a bronze medal in the 50M freestyle.

Javell Tuitt of Special Olympics Mont-serrat– Gold and silver medalist at the World Summer Games.

"Winners in their

struggle to defend

their special

abilities"

Special Olympics CaribbeanSpecial Olympics CaribbeanSpecial Olympics CaribbeanSpecial Olympics Caribbean Suite 2, 9Suite 2, 9Suite 2, 9Suite 2, 9thththth Floor, Citigroup BuildingFloor, Citigroup BuildingFloor, Citigroup BuildingFloor, Citigroup Building 63636363----67 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 567 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 567 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 567 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5

Phone: 876-920-2677

Fax: 876-929-3039

E-mail: cbm@socaribbean.org

Special Olympics Caribbean

• St. Lucia– 1 Silver, 3 Bronze

• Jamaica– 16 Gold, 82 Silver, 6 Bronze

• Trinidad and Tobago– 15 Gold, 15 Silver , 8 Bronze

• The Bahamas– 14 Gold, 9 Silver, 7 Bronze

• Barbados- 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 4 Bronze

• Dominican Republic— 13 Gold, 12 Silver, 1 Bronze

• Cayman Islands – 2 Gold, 5 Silver, 4 Bronze

• Guadeloupe - 1 Gold, 13 Bronze

• Guyana – 1 Gold

• St Kitts/ Nevis– 2 Silver, 7 Bronze

• St Maarten – 3 Gold, 3 Silver, 3 Bronze

• Suriname – 7 Gold , 10 Silver, 9 Bronze

• Curacao – 5 Gold, 3 Silver, 5 Bronze

• US Virgin Islands—8 Gold, 3 Silver, 14 Bronze

• Montserrat –1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze

• Aruba – 7 Gold, 14 Silver, 2 Bronze

• Belize – 8 Bronze

MEDAL TALLY

If you are a fan of dignity, acceptance and the human race, then you are already a fan of Special Olympics.