Andrew Jones MP this week visited and congratulated Harrogate’s own soon-to-be Olympian, Lynn Williams, after she secured a place on the Great Britain Special Olympics team. Bilton resident Lynn is set to represent Great Britain in powerlifting at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens, Greece from 25 June to the 4 July 2011.
Mr Jones said: ‘It is an extraordinary achievement to be chosen to represent your nation and Lynn and her family must be very proud that she will be part of the Special Olympics Great Britain team. Lynn has spent four years training and competed alongside 2,500 competitors at the Special Olympics Great Britain National Summer Games to qualify for a place on the team. Her dedication is inspiring and I wish her and the 157 strong Special Olympics Great Britain team all the best for the World Summer Games in Athens.”
The 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games celebrates the abilities and accomplishments of people with learning disabilities. The Games will feature over 7,500 Special Olympics athletes from 185 countries, 2500 coaches, 25,000 volunteers, 40,000 families, 3,000 event officials and over 3000 members of the media. The XIII Special Olympics World Summer Games follows the successful World Summer Games in Shanghai in 2007 and Dublin in 2003.
The Special Olympics is recognized as the third member of the Olympic family along with the Olympics and Paralympics but it is not just a global event every four years. The Special Olympics programme is a year-round sports and competition programme for children and adults with learning disabilities. Day in and day out across the country, 8000 British learning disabled athletes’ lives are being transformed through sport. For more information and to support the Great Britain Special Olympics team please visit: www.specialolympicsgb.org.uk
