Princess shines at Special Olympics

Ghana made a good start at the ongoing Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles when Princess Ayin clocked 13:67 sec to win her 100 metres heat.

Princess, from the Bator Special School, beat eight other competitors last Sunday to win the event. Moments after her victory, she told journalists that her ambition was to win gold tomorrow to make Ghana proud.

“I want to win gold not for myself but for Ghana and more especially for my colleagues who could not participate in this important games because of financial difficulties encountered at home.”

Another athlete, Victoria Obeng, from Aboom Special School in Cape Coast, however, placed seventh in another 100 metres heat in a time of 16:18 sec but still qualified for the next round.

In the boys’ 200 metres, Isaac Okyere, from Dzorwulu Special School, placed third in a time of 28 sec, while Toffic Latif from Garden City Special School in Kumasi placed seventh in another division of the 200 metres race in a time of 27:1 sec.

Both athletes are medal hopefuls as they qualified to feature in the next competition.

The four were among 7,000 athletes from 165 countries worldwide participating in the Los Angeles Special Olympics World Games.

Both the female and male athletes were expected to participate in the 100 metres and 200 metres heats respectively at the time of going to press yesterday.

The games are specially organised for people with intellectual disabilities, with the view to unearthing their potential through sports.
Ghana is represented by four athletes and two officials.