News Releases
Government Home Search Sitemap Contact Us  

Tourism, Culture and Recreation
October 4, 2010

The following is being distributed at the request of Sport Newfoundland and Labrador:

Two Newfoundland and Labrador Athletes to Represent Canada

Special Olympics Newfoundland and Labrador (SONL) is very pleased to announce that two SONL athletes have been invited to be part of the Team Canada roster that will compete in Athens Greece at the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games.

Powerlifter Jackie Barrett of Corner Brook and track and field athlete Michael Harris of Gander join 109 athletes and 42 coaches and mission staff who will proudly walk into Athens' Kallimarmaro Pananthinaikon Stadium to represent Canada at this world event.

Jackie Barrett is a 36 year old athlete born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, currently residing in Gillams, Newfoundland and Labrador. Jackie has been active in Special Olympics for over 23 years, and has been a world class power lifer of great accomplishment. He won three Gold Medals at the 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games (Raleigh, USA), and another four Gold Medals at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games (Shanghai, China). He set a world record at the 2010 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games with a squat of 265.5 kg. Jackie was the 2000 Special Olympics Canada Male Athlete of the Year and also Vancouver 2010 Torch Bearer during the Corner Brook leg of the Torch Relay.

Mike Harris is a 20 year old athlete from Gander Bay South, Newfoundland and Labrador. Mike has been active in Special Olympics for just three years. He competes in track and field, as well as bowling, floor hockey and snowshoeing. He has competed provincially in Mount Pearl and Gander. Mike won four medals at the 2010 Special Olympic Summer Games, including gold in standing long jump and a gold in the 100 meters.

The 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games is an international competition which will run from June 25 to July 4, 2011 in Athens, Greece, and is expected to bring together an estimated 7,000 athletes from as many as 185 countries who will compete in 22 sports. Canadians will compete in seven of the 22 sports, including 10-pin bowling, athletics, powerlifting, rhythmic gymnastics, soccer, softball and swimming.

Qualification for the 2011 national team was based on performance at the 2010 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games, which were held earlier this year in London, Ontario.

SONL wishes to extend congratulations to both athletes as well as their respective clubs and coaches on this great achievement. They will join fellow Newfoundland and Labradorians, Dr. Carmel Casey of Gander who is the team's chief medical officer, Jeff Butt from Mount Pearl who is the power lifting coach and former SONL Executive Director Johnny Byrne who is part of the Mission Staff. To view the complete roster go to www.specialolympics.ca  

For more information about the upcoming send-off and National Games please contact Executive Director, Nelson White.

Photo #1: Mike Harris competes in the Standing Long Jump at the 2010 Special Olympics Canada Games

Photo #2: Jackie Barrett Celebrates after the Powerlifting competition at the 2010 Special Olympics Canada Games

- 30 -

Media contact:
Nelson White
Executive Director
Special Olympics Newfoundland and Labrador
354 Water Street — Suite 426
St. John's, NL A1C 1C4
709-738-1923, 690-8335
Fax: 709-738-0119
Website: www.sonl.ca 

2010 10 04                                                   11:00 a.m.
 


SearchHomeBack to GovernmentContact Us


All material copyright the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. No unauthorized copying or redeployment permitted. The Government assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any material deployed on an unauthorized server.
Disclaimer/Copyright/Privacy Statement