Silvia Vimercati of Special Olympics Italy won the first medal of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games on 4 October 2007 in Shanghai, China. In front of a standing-room-only crowd in the awards area of the Shanghai Pudong Natatorium, Vimercati thrust her arms in the air as she received the gold medal from Du Jia Hao, Pudong New District Secretary, for her time of 2:05.93 in the Division 1 100-meter individual medley in the aquatics competition. Charmaine Misfud of Special Olympics Malta won the silver medal.

Special Olympics Italy athlete Silvia Vimercati, 21, celebrates after receiving the gold medal in the 100-meter individual medley (aquatics), the first medal awarded at the 2007 World Summer Games.

Athletes, volunteers, coaches and spectators shared the excitement on the first full day of competition at the 2007 World Summer Games. At the aquatics venue, impromptu cheering squads chanted athletes' names and cheered them on in Chinese and numerous other languages during competition, and the sound of the screams and cheers overwhelmed the awards announcement over the public address system. As the winners of the four divisions were led to the award stands, family members and coaches surged to the front of the room to compete with media photographers to capture pictures of their triumphant athletes.

Aquatics is just one of the 25 Olympic-type and demonstration sports in which the 7,500 athletes of the 2007 World Games are competing. Be sure to check out the competition results, which are updated continually. Or you can follow your favorite Special Olympics athlete at http://www.specialolympicslive.org/.

The first two of many medals at the 2007 World Games: (left-right) Pudong New District Vice Secretary Shang En Di, silver medalist Charmaine Misfud, Special Olympics Malta, Pudong New District Secretary Du Jia Hao and gold medalist Silvia Vimercati, Special Olympics Italy.

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