A team of twenty five athletes, eight coaches and three officials left the island on Monday July 20th to participate in the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles, California. The games will feature competitions in aquatics, gymnastics, track and field, basketball, football and many other summer sports involving 7,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities from 177 countries. Saint Lucia’s delegation will have representation in football, athletics and bocce.
Super J IGA is among the corporate entities who are helping to make Team Saint Lucia’s participation possible. Special Olympics Saint Lucia received a gift of EC $5,000 from the supermarket entity last Saturday to help defray costs associated with participation in the games. The presentation was made during the team’s final training session in the grounds of the Dame Pearlette Louisy Primary School. Ms. Super J IGA, Ayana Alexander who placed first runner up in the National Queen Pageant made the cheque presentation to the team members who are expected to make Saint Lucia very proud.
Special Olympics Staint Lucia is the recognised body for providing year round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual difficulties.
The objective is to ensure that they are provided opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other special Olympic athletes and the community.
The games open officially on Sunday July 26th and are described as a way to open eyes, to change attitudes and to break down barriers that exclude people with intellectual difficulties from the mainstream of community. The games will also provide a venue for global discussions and action on the impact Special Olympics can have on the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.
