Montserrat's special athletes

by Caribbean Net News

From Montserrat to Shanghai, that’s quite a challenge! But Montserrat’s Special Olympics group was determined to take part in the Shanghai Special Olympics World Games in October. For the last two years, the Special Olympics committee worked on raising funds towards this ambitious goal; and during October a team of three athletes, accompanied by four volunteers, made the long journey from Montserrat to Shanghai and came away with three medals.

Special Olympics aims to provide sporting events for children and young people with intellectual disabilities. President of Montserrat Special Olympics is Merle Galloway, who accompanied the team of three special athletes along with three other volunteers. She was thrilled to report that the trip was a huge success. “The athletes did fantastically well”, she said, as they returned to a heroes’ welcome at Montserrat’s Geralds Airport.

Montserrat special athlete Javell Tuitt

with medals

Sixteen year old Javell Tuitt gained a silver medal when he came in second in the standing long jump, as well as a bronze medal for the softball throw; while Dylan Browne, fifteen, placed third in the 25 metre run and won a bronze medal. These were no mean achievements when you realize that the Shanghai Special Olympics hosted over 10,000 special athletes, representing over 160 countries.

Special Olympics was founded by Mrs Eunice Kennedy Shriver back in 1968, with the aim of allowing children and young people with mental health disabilities to take part in sporting events.

The event has grown since then and there are Special Olympic groups all around the world. Special athlete Jo-ann Osborne, the Montserrat team’s Ambassador, had the opportunity to meet with Mrs Shriver and they had their photo taken together.

The journey to Shanghai was quite long and challenging. The route took the group to Toronto and then on to Shanghai, a trip that took about two days, including about 23 hours actual flying time, Merle Galloway says.

Volunteers Pat Ryan, Kurt Foote and his son Caleb, along with president Merle Galloway, accompanied the three special athletes throughout the trip and the games. “It was our pleasure to show the world how great accomplishments can come from small places”, Galloway says.

Montserrat team and volunteers

Volunteer Pat Ryan explains that several student volunteers were assigned to each group of athletes. The volunteers assigned to the Montserrat group were most helpful, she said, very enthusiastic and interested at all times, and accompanied them wherever they went.

One of the high points was the opening ceremony and march past. The Montserrat group wore the Montserrat National Dress, comprising a green and yellow “Madras” cotton over-skirt over a white full length skirt, and a white blouse picked out with green and yellow ribbons. The men’s version features green and yellow madras over black pants. The small group was a centre of interest to both Chinese and international admirers.

Special Olympics was started locally by the Montserrat Red Cross in the 1990’s, spearheaded by special needs teacher at the Red Cross school Adella Francis. In 1995, just before the volcano started, she accompanied a group of special athletes to Newhaven, Connecticut, for the first Special Olympics World Games there, and they came away with medals.

When the Red Cross had to be relocated northwards from the volcano the movement became dormant, with the emigration of some teachers and children and the closure of the school.

After a few years the Ministry of Education opened a special needs unit as part of the education system, and in 2002 the local Special Olympics movement was re-started by speech therapist Heather Daley. She was backed up by United Nations volunteer Tammy Foote and her husband Kurt, and other volunteers, and in 2004 they attended the first Special Olympics regional games in Jamaica, which was also an uplifting experience for the athletes, Ryan says.

Every year a Special Olympics sports meet is put on locally, and the group also mounts a Festival troupe in Montserrat’s year end Festival.