Keisha Hill, Staff Reporter

Sports Minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange dances up a storm with Jenien Morgan at the Special Olympics opening ceremony last Friday, at the Alfred Sangster Auditorium, University of Technology. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer

The sound of rejoicing from a capacity crowd of over 1,000 persons filled the Alfred Sangster Auditorium at the University of Technology at the weekend, as Special Olympics Jamaica officially celebrated a milestone in the staging of its 25th annual National Summer Games.

The opening ceremony was overwhelmed with thunderous music as the delegations from the 14 parishes paraded amid enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Javine Wilson, a Special Olympics athlete representing the parish of Westmoreland, officially welcomed the participants and officials and expressed gratitude to Special Olympics Jamaica for their careful preparations for the Games.

Carlton Davis, chairman of the Board of Directors, Special Olympics Jamaica, in his opening remarks encouraged the athletes to be inspired by the discipline and performance of their senior colleagues on the international arena.

Lifting our country

"Their performance lifts our country and I know that our Special Olympians are not backward in this spectrum as we demonstrated in the 2007 World Winter Games we can do ourselves proud," Davis said.

Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, while delivering the keynote address, stated that people with intellectual disability can and with proper instruction and encouragement, learn, enjoy and benefit from participation in team and individual sport.

"I know how important and inspiring it is for these athletes to participate in events such as this. It helps to build their confidence and for us to show them that we love and appreciate them," Minister Grange said.

More challenged

Grange indicated that 90 per cent of all persons with intellectual disability have only a mild occurrence and generally are outwardly indistinguishable from their peers, who have no intellectual disability.

"Athletes with intellectual disability vary greatly in terms of their physical ability and their sports skill proficiency. The degree of intellectual disability generally does not determine an athlete's performance level. However, athletes with severe intellectual disabilities are more challenged by the tactical aspects of competition," she said.

Athletes competed over the two-day event which culminated on Saturday in aquatics, badminton, bocce, roller skating and track and field. From this event, a team of two roller skaters and 16 floor hockey athletes will be selected for the Special Olympics World Winter Games, scheduled for February 6-13, 2009, in Boise, Idaho, United States.