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
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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.
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