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July 15, 2008

Special Olympics New York Athletes to Represent USA

Neal J. Johnson, president and CEO of Special Olympics New York has announced that 10 athletes from New York have been selected to represent the USA at the World Winter Games to be held in Boise, Idaho, February 6-13, 2009. They will join 3,000 athletes from more than 85 nations to compete in seven winter sports. The participation of the New York State athletes is being made possible in large part through the support of the GabriAnna Star Foundation.

Said Frank Delli Carpini of the GabriAnna Star Foundation, “The greatest achievement for every athlete is to compete at the highest level. For Special Olympics athletes that’s the World Games. The GabriAnna Star Foundation is proud to support a mission that focuses on personal achievement and equal opportunity. Through sports the athletes gain a sense of independence, develop collegial identity and are able to contribute to society. The GabriAnna Star Foundation stands behind that 100 percent.”

Athletes going to the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games are: Chad Hildreth, Capital Region; Neelam Naslund, Southern Tier Region; Vincent Femia, Central Region; Ann Hertel, Hudson Valley Region; Peter Dailey and April Horncastle, Genesee Region; Denna Johnson and Ashley Blasdell, Western Region; Maria Gruendel, Long Island Region; and Fabian Guiness, New York City Region.

Said Johnson, “Participation in World Games is a crowning achievement for any Special Olympics athlete. I am very proud of these New York State athletes who will attend these Games, which offer a tremendous opportunity for competition and for helping Special Olympics spread its messages of tolerance, understanding and respect.”

The athletes at World Winter Games will compete in seven Olympic-type sports: Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, floor hockey, snowboarding, snowshoe racing and speed skating at venues including the Sun Valley Resort, the Tamarack Resort, the Bogus Basin Ski Resort and Idaho Ice World.

This event will be the largest multi-sport event ever held in the state of Idaho. With thousands of volunteers, coaches, family members and supporters joining the athletes, these Games promise to be a unique opportunity for the world to witness how the universal language of sport can show the very best of the human spirit and all that it encompasses.

In addition to world-class athletic competition, the World Winter Games will provide a venue for global discussions and action on the impact Special Olympics can make on the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. Up to 190 million people worldwide have an intellectual disability, making it the largest disability group worldwide. Intellectual disability crosses racial, ethnic, educational, social and economic lines, and can occur in any family.

Every two years, thousands of Special Olympics athletes from around the world come together to showcase their athletic skills and celebrate the true spirit of competition through summer or winter world games. Through the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, Special Olympics athletes will transcend the boundaries of geography, nationality, political philosophy, gender, age, culture and religion. This event will transform participants, community leaders, and fans world-wide through sportsmanship and spirited competition. These Games will help citizens throughout the world appreciate the values of respect and compassion, which the athletes and their supporters live by every day.

Photo above: NY Liberty Basketball Players; Tiffany Jackson and Jessica Davenport with 2009 Winter World Games Athlete Fabian Guiness.

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