Special Olympics athletes assured of cash prizes

Special Olympics Ghana has presented certificates of honour to the four athletes who won four silver medals for Ghana during the Special Olympics World Games held in Los Angeles between July 23 and August 3, this year.

The acting board chairman of Special Olympics Ghana, Nana Wereko-Ampim Opoku, who presented the certificates during the Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s Day celebration in Accra, assured of honouring them with cash prizes to motivate them to nurture their potentials in sports and become world class athletes.

The four athletes, Princess Ayin of Battor Special School, Isaac Otchere of Dzorwulu Special School, Latiff Toufick of Garden City Special School and Victoria Obeng of Aboom Special School in Cape Coast, made Ghana proud when they participated in the Special Olympics World Games.

While Princess won silver medals in the 100 and 200 metres events, Isaac won two silver medals in the 100 metres event, and the special highlife dance held as part of the competition.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of Special Olympics, was recognised for her immense contributions which led to international advocate for the rights of people with intellectual disabilities.

Concerned about the isolation of persons with intellectual disabilities from society, Kennedy Shriver, a sister to John F. Kennedy, had a vision that sports were the only discipline that could build confidence and skills among such special persons.

She, therefore, founded Special Olympics as a vehicle to bring the potentials and skills of such persons to the fore.

Presenting the certificates, Nana Wereko-Ampim said Ghana would have won a lot of medals if they had presented a large contingent “We presented only four athletes, but came home with four silver medals, so we made the nation proud during the world games”.he noted.

He said while Nigeria presented 150 athletes during the competition, Burkina Faso presented 90. He, therefore, appealed to the government and corporate bodies to support the board to prepare the athletes for future events.