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sports
Summer
Olympians shine at CSULB
By Luis Peña
Summer On-line Forty-Niner
“Let me win, but
if I can not win, let me be brave in the attempt,” was the
oath that athletes took at the Special Olympics held at Cal
State Long Beach June 15,2002, where athletes came to compete
and have fun.
Athletes from 11 counties came to the summer games of the
Special Olympics of Southern California..
Doug Blaney is a 15-year-old track athlete from San Diego.
Blaney came to compete in the long jump, high jump, 100m,
200m and the sprint relay team.
Kaina Hardwick is a 16-year-old that lives in a group home
in Orange County. He came to compete in the swimming events.
He began swimming at age three because his mother wanted to
make him water safe because of his disability.
“He is autistic but he enjoys swimming. I thought that this
would be a great chance for him to do something that he likes
to do and to hang out with other kids that have disabilities
and special needs and to see how he stacks up competitively,”
said Brent Hardwick, Kaina’s father.
Being able to participate in competitions has been challenging.
“He is kind of out there in his own little world. Getting
him to compete in something like this where he has to listen
for the starting gun and he knows he has to swim one lap,
or two laps or four laps that’s a big deal for him,” Hardwick
said.
Hardwick is very supportive of his son.
“Swimming is a wonderful sport. This is just a chance for
him to do something that he likes to do. If he turns
out to be competitive and is able to excel in it great but
that’s not really what I am looking for. I just want to give
him all the chances he can and do all the things that he enjoys
doing,” Hardwick said.
Larry Heath is a 24-year-old from the Santa Clarita Valley.
He plays basketball and has been involved in the Special Olympics
since the age of 15.
“He wanted to play basketball. He loves basketball,” said
his mother Nancy Heath.
“I think its a special day for these special athletes. I come
out here thrilled by the prospect that athletes are going
to be able to perform and be the best that they can be,” said
1960 Olympic gold medallist in the decathlon and chairman
of the board of governors of the Special Olympics of Southern
California, Rafer Johnson.
Paul Mahoney, is an USA Track and Field starter. He has been
a starter for the track events at the Summer Games for 24
years.
“I wouldn’t turn down this meet for anything unless I couldn’t
get out of bed,” Mahoney said.
Mahoney said that they really do not have to change much on
how they run an event as compared to a standard track meet.
Mahoney gains inspiration through the athletes at the Special
Olympics.
“Nobody has the heart and desire like these kids and adults
out here do,” Mahoney said.
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