INDEPENDENT NEWS

Special Olympics - World Summer Games Come To End

Published: Tue 1 Jul 2003 05:56 PM
2003 Special Olympics - World Summer Games Come To End
The New Zealand team saw the end of the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games draw to a highly emotional and spectacular conclusion yesterday in Dublin's Croke Park stadium, Ireland.
The team, proudly wearing their total of sixty medals won during the Games, joined thousands of volunteers, athletes, delegation members and celebrities, to witness the Closing Ceremony which marked the end of their incredible experience.
Chris Hooper, Special Olympics Executive Director and Head of Delegation says the Games were the pinnacle for Special Olympics athletes all around the World and the Closing Ceremony was certainly no anticlimax.
"The Ceremony was incredibly moving and brought together everything that had taken place over the last nine days. As the flag came down and the flame was extinguished it suddenly hit us that everything had come to an end, it was a very emotional moment."
Throughout the Ceremony, the crowds were entertained by a wide variety of Irish and international music acts, with the likes of Blue, Liberty X, and Westlife, amongst others, treating Croke Park to a celebratory party in honour of both the athletes and the volunteers who had given so much of themselves for the Games.
Video clips and interviews reinforced the successes of the athletes over the preceding week, showcasing the skills and courage of athletes.
The Closing Ceremony was a triumphant celebration of the achievements of Special Olympics athletes, focusing on the abilities and prowess they have shown during the Games. It was also an occasion to mark the next exciting journey for the Special Olympic Games which will be hosted by Japan and China.
The New Zealand team has since departed Ireland following the Closing Ceremony and a touching farewell to the people of Naas - the team's Host Town in the lead up to the Games. They will spend a week of celebration, relaxation, and reflexion in England before returning to New Zealand on Monday, the 7th July.
On their return the team will be welcomed home by a fantastic ceremony involving performances by the Sky City Cheerleaders and Star Jam (performers with disabilities) as well as a Haka, speeches, and songs (Ray Woolf and Star Jam performers). The ceremony will be followed by a light breakfast in the Marlborough Room before the team departs for their respective home towns.
All media are invited to attend and there will be many opportunities for getting visual material and interviews. The Welcome Home Ceremony on Monday, 7th July, will begin at 7am in the Arrivals Lounge at Auckland International Airport and will lead into the Lookout Lounge for speeches and songs. Media co-coordinators will be available from 6.30am to assist you. If you can make it please contact Natalie on the phone number below before the event or on the day.
For detailed information on the 2003 Special Olympic World Summer Games you can also visit – http:// http://www.2003specialolympics.com.
Medals Table
Gold 19
Silver 21
Bronze 20
Total 60
Details - Event Athlete(s) - Results - Medal - Region
Ten Pin BowlingTeams Anne Fairhurst, Helen Coring, Lynley North, Mandy Sandbrook 1028 Gold TaranakiAucklandWaikatoManawatu
Ten Pin BowlingTeams Robert McElwee, Steven Roberts, Steven James, Darren Gordon 1706 Gold AucklandAucklandWaikatoAuckland
Ten Pin Mixed Doubles Steven JamesHelen Coring 396365 Gold AucklandWaikato
Bocce Catherine Boyle TBC Gold Wanganui
Bocce Julie Trail TBC Gold Wanganui
Bocce four person team Justin AshtonCatherine BoyleLincoln Coronno George Taylor TBC Gold KapitiWanganuiNorthern -WairoaOtago
Equestrian Lance Dempsey 131.00 Gold Horowhenua
Equestrian Maria Dixon 148.00 Gold Nelson
EquestrianWorking Trail James Farrell 141.00 Gold Hawkes Bay
EquestrianEquitation James Farrell TBC Gold Hawkes Bay
EquestrianDressage James Farrell TBC Gold Hawkes Bay
Swimming(100m Breaststroke) Katrina Hewett 2:23.11 Gold North Otago
Swimming50 Freestyle Andrew Withers 00:50.85 Gold Otago
Swimming 100m Individual Medley Rebecca Everard 2:00.97 Gold North Harbour
Swimming 50m Butterfly Timothy Faith 00:57.96 Gold Horowhenua
Swimming 50m Freestyle Andrew Withers 00:50.85 Gold Otago
Track5000m Gary McMillan 20:22.89 Gold Bay of Plenty
Track 800m walk Kaye McMurray 6:18.77 Gold Canterbury
Powerlifting Brett Sutherland 90 kg Gold Southland
Golf 72 Hole Comp Conrad Ryan 499 Gold Manawatu
Track(400m Walk) William Hussey 02:26.62 Silver Nelson
Track (400 Walk) Murray Johns 02:03.96 Silver Waikato
Track800m run Brendan Telfer 4:07.92 Silver Hutt Valley
Swimming(400m Freestyle) Kent Czepanski 6:23.13 Silver Waikato
Swimming25m Freestyle Sarah Stalker 00:24.93 Silver North Canterbury
Swimming100m Butterfly Rebecca Everard 1:50.42 Silver North Harbour
Swimming200m Freestyle Chris Joseph 3:01.88 Silver Hutt Valley
Bocce Lincoln Corrono TBC Silver Wairoa
BocceDoubles Lincoln CorronoJustin Ashton TBC Silver WairoaKapiti
BocceWomen's Doubles Catherine BoyleJulie Trail TBC Silver
WanganuiWanganui
Ten Pin BowlingMixed Doubles Robert McElweeLynley North 385 354 Silver Auckland Waikato
Ten Pin BowlingWomen's Doubles Helen Coring Anne Fairhurst 386272 Silver AucklandTaranaki
Swimming50m Backstroke Timothy Faith 1.10.85 Silver Horowhenua
EquestrianWorking Trail Nicola Harvey 100.00 Silver Marlborough
EquestrianEnglish Equitation Maria Dixon 148.00 Silver Nelson
EquestrianDressage Lance Dempsey TBC Silver Horowhenua
EquestrianGymkana Pole Bending Lance Dempsey TBC Silver Horowhenua
EquestrianDressage Maria Dixon TBC Silver Nelson
Track Duncan Campbell 12:25.04 Silver Tauranga
PowerliftingSquat Brett Sutherland 120kg Silver Southland
PowerliftingDeadlift Brett Sutherland 162.5 Silver Southland
PowerliftingBench, Deadlift & Squat Brett Sutherland 372.5kg Silver
Southland
Track3000m Duncan Campbell 12:25.04 Bronze Tauranga
Track400m Walk Kaye McMurray 2:54.27 Bronze Canterbury
Track800m Walk William Hussey 05:33.77 Bronze Nelson
Track800m Walk Murray Johns 4:59.25 Bronze Waikato
BocceSingles Justin Ashton TBC Bronze Kapiti
Swimming50 Backstroke Tania Evans 1.02.42 Bronze Southland
Swimming100m Freestyle Chris Joseph 1:20.31 Bronze Wellington
Swimming 100m Backstroke Kent Czepanski 1:47.74 Bronze Waikato
Swimming25m Freestyle Bernadette Coleman 00:31.22 Bronze Nelson
Swimming25m Freestyle Brent Busby 00:28.73 Bronze Kapiti
Swimming200m Freestyle Kent Czepanski 2:52.16 Bronze Waikato
Swimming 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay Tania Evans, Timothy Faith, Andrew Withers, Christie Ryan, TBC Bronze SouthlandHorowhenuaOtagoAuckland
Equestrian English Equitation Nicola Harvey 81 pts Bronze Marlborough
Ten Pin BowlingMixed Doubles Steven RobertsAnne Fairhurst 424277 Bronze Auckland Taranaki
Ten Pin BowlingMen's Doubles Steven JamesRobert McElwee 372 373 Bronze WaikatoAuckland
Ten Pin BowlingWomen's Doubles Mandy SandbrookLynley North 357274 Bronze ManawatuWaikato
Ten Pin Singles Steven Roberts 471 Bronze Manukau
Ten Pin Singles Darren Gordon TBC Bronze Tamaki
Golf 72 Hole Comp Michael Conder 433 Bronze Tauranga

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