Monrovia – The National Program Director of Special Olympics Liberia (SOL) has described his organization’s athletes with intellectual disabilities responses to their ongoing training for the upcoming 2019 Special Olympics World Game in Dubai, United Arab Emirates as very positive.
Report by A. Macaulay Sombai [email protected]
Athletes under Special Olympics Liberia are children with intellectual disabilities.
Rev. Caleb Dormah said the athletes, who are specialized especially in the areas of 100 and 200 meters have continued to undergo the training for the past two months. According to him, the children’s positive responses to the training mean that they are ready for the competition and that the final selection of athletes for the Olympics would be done in the second week of March 2019.
Said Rev. Dormah: “The preparation of our athletes for the Special Olympics is going on well because the athletes, their coaches and parents are very excited. I consider their responses to the training as more than well; they have exceeded my expectation and I am happy that we are getting these kids involved in one of the most important world sports.”
He paid tribute to the late Sean Devereux Foundation for its support in facilitating SOL preparation for the world game.
The athletes used to train three times weekly, but they have increased it to four times weekly due to the positive responses they are getting from the athletes. It would also help to strengthen their physical fitness for the Special Olympics competition.
Rev. Dormah disclosed that one of his organization’s main targets is to bring together 100 intellectual disability athletes and train them for the celebration of SOL first anniversary on July 24, 2019.
The SOL boss explained that his organization was established in Liberia on July 24, 2018 after been accredited by the Special Olympics International and they started their training in August through the help of Special Olympics Africa at which time 48 coaches were trained to help develop the minds of the athletes.
“When we return from the Dubai Olympics, our main goals for Special Olympics Liberia will be to get 100 athletes, train and get them ready for our organization’s one-year anniversary celebration. We hope to achieve that goal,” he disclosed.
The SOL National Program Director emphasized that people with intellectual disabilities are often the most neglected, most vulnerable, and most marginalized people in every society. “For these reasons, Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, given them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience, joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship, with their families, other Specials Olympics athletes and the community,” he added.