SPECIAL Olympics Redditch are celebrating after coming home with a haul of 16 medals from Great Britain’s National Summer Games.
The nine-strong squad had all put in the training and it paid off in the white heat of competiition with them all returning with medals.
Elaine Daykin, chair of West Midlands Special Olympics and head of delegation said the event, said: “It went really well, fantastic in fact and all our athletes performed to the best of of their ability and all of them achieved medals.”
The week-long Special Olympics National Summer Games are held every four years and this year the host city was Sheffield and proved to be a massive occasion for coaching staff as well as the athletes themselves.
Featuring 21 sports, the event is the UK’s largest multi-sports championship for athletes with intellectual disabilities in 2017.
“It’s been amazing and for the athletes as it gives them a goal, it’s just a case of turning for training on a Monday night but they’ve got something to work towards,” said Elaine.
The squad were also able to room together for the week, forging true friendships as a result.
The involvement of Special Olympics Redditch in the Games was entirely self-financed, backed by a grant from Redditch Borough Council and help from a Solihull-based charity.
Councillor Bill Hartnett, the leader of the borough council, said: “I contacted Ron and Elaine Daykin to congratulate all connected with Special Olympics. I and am sure all in the borough are proud of them and I have invited them to the next full council meeting so we can congratulate them and hopefully get to see the medals.”
The medal haul: Jessica Hiles – Gold (Boccia); Stacey Everill – Silver (Standing long jump), Bronze (Shot Putt); Lauren Francis – Gold (Floor), Silver (Beam) Silver (All round); Richard Daykin (Bronze (Floor), Bronze (Rings), Bronze (High bar); Chris Finch – Gold (Pommel), Gold (High bar), Silver (All round; Emmeline Rudge – Bronze (4×100 relay); Jonathan Wedgbury – Silver (4x100m); Laurie Brooks Bronzee (100m), Silver (Soft ball throw) Shane Dennis – Silver (4x25m freesttle relay).
