OLDS — Olds & District Special Olympics (ODSO) athletes won gold, silver and bronze during the Special Olympics Alberta Winter Games, held Feb. 24-26 in Sherwood Park.
More than 600 athletes participated in the Games. Locally, 11 athletes and four coaches attended.
ODSO athletes participated in two sports: bowling and alpine skiing.
The team’s alpine skier, Brian Tabor, won two bronze medals.
The bowlers got some amazing results.
Joey Rempel won gold.
Team Olds 1 (Mike Dougan, Darryl Siemens, Joey Rempel, Kenny Morin, Mark Mengersen) won silver.
In singles, Kenny Morin won silver. Adriene Briand, Darryl Siemens and Marie Davis received bronze medals.
During an interview with the Albertan, ODSO chair Karen Mengersen was asked how the local athletes did this time, compared to previous provincials.
“They probably did just as well,” she said. “Some of them are repeat participants. Two of them were brand new participants."
David Franz enjoyed his first experience of provincial games along with experienced bowler Derek Hallet.
“They’ve gone to smaller tournaments, like an affiliate tournament, but they haven’t gone to a provincial tournament before, so I think for both of them it was like, ‘wow, these are a lot of people.’
Mengersen said Briand was surprised to earn her bronze medal “which was totally awesome to me.”
"It gives you the boost to want to continue and do it again, kind of the encouragement,” Mengersen said
Mengersen said these were the first live, in-person Special Olympics Provincial games after COVID restrictions were lifted. “It was like one big family reunion,” she said.
“I saw so many people that I have met and know and worked with over the years in all the other provincial and national tournaments. It was like, ‘family reunion!’”
The games began late last week while Alberta was still locked in a deep freeze, but as the weekend arrived, temperatures began to moderate, especially on Sunday.
Mengersen said the skiers were “really appreciative” of the warmer temperatures.
The bowlers only had to deal with it while getting into or out of their venue. The medal ceremonies were held indoors as well.
Mengersen is very grateful for all the help the athletes received from their coaches: Brenda Norman, Ben Jensen and Murray Elliott.
