Meet some of the 2007 World Summer Games Athletes

9 October 2007

Special Olympics South Africa Special Olympics athlete Sipo Mjoka, who won a gold medal in the 50-meter freestyle aquatics event, is living his dream at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai. Sipho Mjoka of Special Olympics South Africa is Living his Dream By Tim Wendel Sipho Mjoka’s passion is swimming and the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China, have become his coming-out party. The 18-year-old from South Africa took gold in the men’s 50-meter freestyle finals on Friday, 5 October, and will race again in the 100-meter free on Saturday. Before a packed house at the Shanghai Pudong Natatorium, Mjoka brought the crowd to its feet by winning the Division 5 Finals in 29.40 seconds. “He swam a fantastic race,” says Brenda Saville, head swim coach for Special Olympics South Africa. “He’s always been a coach’s dream for me. He listens and then goes out and does his best. What more can a coach ask for?” Abandoned by his mother as a child, Mjoka grew up in an orphanage in Durban, South Africa, which he still calls home. Ann Janssens, who is on the Board of Directors at the home, flew 16 hours to see her favorite student race. “Certainly it’s a long way to come,” she says, “but I had to be here to see him race. Our orphanage has about 200 children and he’s one of the ones you look out for and hope things work out for in the future.” Beaten as a child, Mjoka took medication that eventually caused permanent brain damage. Years later, he is still bothered by headaches and often struggles in school. Sports became his outlet and he runs as well as swims. “Coming here, being in these Games, is more than I ever could have dreamed of,” Mjoka says. “It got me out of my world.” Asked if he enjoyed the Opening Ceremony, competing in a distant land, Mjoka smiles and simply says, “Yeabo” – South African lingo for yes.     Special Olympics Rosemount, Minnesota (USA) 21-year-old is proficient in sign language, while also helping others with disabilities At age 21, she carries a magnet around with her in case a seizure comes on. She simply runs the magnet over her heart, similar to a cashier running food over a scanner, and this will counteract her pacemaker. On top of that, she has severe allergies and has partial hearing and vision loss,  but has no complaints as she is ecstatic to not only compete with Special Olympics Team USA, but to extend her 19 days for the 2007 Special Olympics World Games in Shanghai for two additional weeks in Korea as she meets up with her birth family. Just minutes before heading into her first game in China against Special Olympics Tunisia, Kelsey Peterson of Rosemount, Minnesota (USA) admitted she was a little nervous because this is her first year playing basketball. “I think we’ll do good today. I’m a little shaky, but very excited to play.” She also has something else to be very excited about as she heads to Korea. “I am super excited but nervous and have so many emotions all at once to see my birth family again,” she said after sharing that she first met them last year.  Kelsey was adopted by her American family, Steve and Joanne Peterson, as a toddler. In 2006, with the help of Children’s Home Society of Minnesota, the Petersons were able to find Kelsey’s birth family. “At first they were nervous to have me meet the family in case I became angry about them giving me up or something,” said Kelsey, “but after they said ‘yes I can meet them,’ then ‘no it won’t happen,’ then yes again and back and forth, I was finally able to meet the entire family of parents, my younger brother and my four older sisters.” Kelsey’s mother is heading to Korea from China as well, and will volunteer in an orphanage while Kelsey’s spends time with her Korean family. Kelsey is an only child with her American family and when she isn’t training or competing, she works with others who have disabilities and impressively is proficient in sign language as she attended the State Academy for the Deaf in Minnesota. She is also moving into her own apartment soon and remarked, “I’ve got to take responsibility and pay my own bills.” She has been in Special Olympics for more than six years and is not only representing the Special Olympics Team USA in basketball at the 2007 World Games, but also trains and competes in floor hockey, soccer, swimming and tennis.   Special Olympics Barbados and Bharat (India) Ryan Nurse, Special Olympics Barbados, poses with the captain of his cricket team after their most recent victory. Ryan Nurse, Special Olympics Barbados Joginer Bendi, Special Olympics Bharat (India) By Nick Liptak and Christine Wang Ryan Nurse and Joginer Bendi came to Shanghai from different corners of the world, but that didn’t matter on Saturday, 6 October. Nurse, who is from Barbados, and Bendi, who comes from New Delhi, India, came together for one of the first cricket matches in Special Olympics World Games history. Barbados won the match, 19-12. Both players were quick to stress how important teamwork is to their sport. Special Olympics Bharat (India), Bendi’s team, has played about 15 games as a squad, and he believes they played well on Saturday. The Special Olympics Barbados team has been training for the World Games for at least a year. When asked if he could point out a particular player who excelled in the match on Saturday, Nurse said he couldn’t. “We all played well,” he said. “We are the strongest team.” He pointed out that Special Olympics Bharat was favored going into the match, and Special Olympics Barbados was the underdog. This was Special Olympics Barbados’ second win, coming three days after they beat Special Olympics China (B team). Joginer Bendi, Special Olympics Bharat (India) (right) with his team's coach. Nurse has participated in World Games before, in the 400 hurdles and football (soccer). This is Bendi’s first World Games, though he is also a basketball and football enthusiast. “These are wonderful Games,” said Bendi after the match. Nurse considers the inclusion of cricket in Special Olympics competition to be an important occasion. Special Olympics, he said, proves that “especially when you’re special, you can do other things.” For Bendi, Special Olympics provides an opportunity to play a sport he loves at an international level. He’s also had the chance to meet other athletes from all over the globe. He even met California (USA) Governor and Special Olympics Global Ambassador Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver, at Opening Ceremony.   Special Olympics Team Oklahoma, USA Dustin Cichon, Special Olympics Team USA (fourth from left), mingles with some of the fans he's earned with his four powerlifting medals. Dustin Cichon - Special Olympics Oklahoma (USA) By Nick Liptak and Christine Wang Dustin Cichon, a 19-year-old powerlifter from Oklahoma, USA, has been treated as somewhat of a celebrity since arriving in Shanghai. He is frequently asked for autographs or snapshots at the various athletic venues around town, he said at a press conference at Zhabei Gym on Saturday, 6 October, after winning four medals in the powerlifting competition. Cichon made it clear that it's all part of the fun. “I always wake up with a smile in the morning,” he said in a slight drawl. “I don't get mad.” Cichon has been lifting weights in Special Olympics for eight years, and this is his first international competition. “Shanghai is pretty cool,” he said, adding that this is his first trip outside the United States. “I'm proud of all the athletes. Everybody's a good guy!”   Special Olympics New Zealand Laura Burmeister, Special Olympics New Zealand (center), shows off the four medals she won in powerlifting. Laura Burmeister, Special Olympics New Zealand By Nick Liptak and Christine Wang Laura Burmeister, 31, has been lifting weights for five years. On Saturday, 6 October, the New Zealander's hard work paid off. Burmeister won four medals in the powerlifting competition, and the smile on her face at the end of the day indicated she was relieved to be finished. “I was doing it for Dr. Paul,” she said, referring to the team doctor and “diet buddy” who helped her to make weight going into the competition. Burmeister trained four days a week in preparation for the World Games, but now that she's finished her piece of the competition, she is looking forward to relaxing a bit. She said her celebration would almost certainly include eating ice cream. During the remainder of the World Games she looks forward to exploring Shanghai and cheering on the rest of her country's powerlifting teammates, who could all be found enthusiastically cheering Burmeister on during her day of competition. But the first thing she planned to do after winning on Saturday was phone her father, even if it was in the middle of the night, to include him in the celebration. One thing's for sure: there is a proud father in New Zealand, eagerly awaiting the return of a champion.   Ariful Islam - Special Olympics Bangladesh's cricket team athlete.   Special Olympics Bangladesh Special Olympics Makes a Difference for Athlete from Bangladesh By Sam McAllister Ariful Islam is an 18-year-old athlete on Special Olympics Bangladesh's cricket team at the 2007 World Summer Games in Shanghai, China. Islam says that before he joined Special Olympics he could not do many things by himself. Now, because of the opportunities and support he has received from Special Olympics, he has become much more independent. He communicates with others quite well and can do things without having to ask for help from anyone else. In addition to cricket, Islam plays bocce and football (soccer). He recently competed at a Special Olympics bocce tournament in Brunei. At the 2007 World Games, he enjoys talking to the volunteers and making friends. His family has been very supportive of him. They help him train and play sports with him, and they enrolled him in a school for people with intellectual disabilities. Islam adds that since he became active in Special Olympics, he has been doing much better in school. In his free time, he enjoys using the computer, playing sports and being with his friends and family. Islam is enjoying the results of his hard work training for the World Games cricket competition. The Special Olympics Bangladesh team won its first three games and is scheduled to compete against Special Olympics India on 9 October.