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News
 Special Olympics Wrap Up
NEWS RELEASE
CURTAIN COMES DOWN ON COAST SPECIAL OLYMPICS COMPETITION
DATE RELEASED: FRIDAY 6TH OCTOBER 2006
COMPETITION at the Special Olympics Australia VIII National Games wrapped up on the Gold Coast on Saturday 7th October.
Under spectacularly sunny skies, the final medals were awarded in soccer, basketball, bocce, swimming, softball and the half marathon.
At the soccer at the Runaway Bay Sports Super Centre host state Queensland emulated their rugby league cousins by defeating New South Wales in their 'State of Origin' grand final clash seven-nil.
The maroon sharpshooters went through the entire tournament undefeated.
The NSW Waratahs were successful in their bronze medal play-off with Tasmania 3-1.
At the basketball at Carrara Stadium it was a family affair for two Queensland competitors.
Sunshine Coast brothers John and Matt Skerman switched from athletics to basketball to compete alongside each other at their second National Games - both being members of the 'A' team that narrowly lost in the gold medal decider to NSW 28-27.
'This is brilliant,' Matt said.
"We've competed in athletics before in the 100, 200, 400m and now we're here with basketball.
"I think I've won about 20 medals all up in the nationals.
"We are pretty good playing together and we never fight. We don't really have a favourite sport, its just fun to compete,' he said.
The B-grade men's gold medal was taken by Victoria (36) over New Zealand (12) while NSW (23) defeated Queensland (22) to take the bronze.
In the women's A- grade NSW (21) defeated Victoria (9) to take gold.
The first-ever VIII Special Olympics Australian National Games bocce tournament provided high excitement all week at the Italio-Australia Club at Merrimac.
Athletes from every state of Australia and New Zealand competed for Olympic gold.
Victoria's Tanya Dimitri won her first gold medal in the singles competition with Victorian head coach Douglas Parrott describing the win as 'unforgettable'.
First time Special Olympian NSW's Julie Magill won silver.
"It's a really good atmosphere here. Everyone is interested in good sportsmanship and having fun rather than winning medals.
"I can't wait to celebrate my win at the closing ceremony," Ms Magill said.
Team mate Kathy Martin has been involved with the games for 15 years and said her favourite part of the Games was the Closing Ceremony at Dreamworld.
Kathy has previously competed in Brisbane, Melbourne and Tasmania and has placed 4th and 5th in the team fours and singles events.
In the half marathon at Runaway Bay Kiwi Gary McMillan proved too fleet of foot for the rest of the eight man field to win in the impressive time of 1:36:00.
The softball finals were also held at Runaway Bay.
Western Australia (18) snared the gold medal from Victoria (8) while Tasmania was too good in the bronze medal playoff 20-7.
At the swimming at Brisbane's Sleeman Sports Complex 1988 Seoul Olympic gold medallist, Duncan Armstrong, delighted everyone when he gave away a number of his own underage swimming medals to athletes who had finished out of the medals.
In the pool Brendan Borger (NSW) took out the men's 200m breastroke while Victoria's Jocelyn Blows (Vic) took out the women's division.
In the 200 freestyle Suzie O'Moore (QLD) was successful while fellow Queenslander Luke Forster took out the men's.
In the women's 50m free there was a Queensland trifecta when Jessica Hine, Georgina Steffensen and Felicity Hannam touched the wall in quick succession.
Special Olympics Gold Coast Organising Committee Chair, Paul Stevens, said the week could not have gone better.
'From an organisational point of view, the week has been a dream,' Mr Stevens said.
'The weather, the sport, the venues, the volunteers and the athletes all combined to deliver a truly magic experience for everyone involved,' he said.
The official Closing Ceremony was held Saturday 7th at Dreamworld and the park was turned over to the 1000 athletes and their parents
For further information please contact:
Sophie Hickson
5591 2556
0407 028 917
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