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Special Olympics Jamaica's rollerskating team -- Monique Brown, Andromeda Scott, Richard Habib and Ryan Farquharson - was rewarded for its hard work with several medals at the 2007 World Games.
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The four contestants participating in the rollerblading competition at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games from Special Olympics Jamaica are Monique Brown, Andromeda Scott, Richard Habib and Ryan Farquharson, ages 14, 18, 18 and 27, respectively. Dressed in jumpsuits of red, yellow and green, colors of the Jamaican flag, each contestant skated confidently around the rink, at times with brows winkled in intense concentration as they circled around and around again.
“Ryan is the most experienced,” Special Olympics Jamaica head coach Jacqueline Bennett says, when asked to describe her team. “It is the first time for the other three contestants, but Ryan has competed before.” She adds that while all four of the contestants are confident in their skating, Brown, Scott and Habib are all fairly quiet, while Farquarson is more mature. Farquharson enters the room in his skates and, not quite meeting anyone's eye, makes his way around the room before exiting through the back door. How do the contestants handle victory and defeat? “Well,” the coach begins while watching Farguharson from the corner of her eye, “While all experience victory and defeat and they might feel hurt by defeat, they have learned to accept it and understand that life goes on.”
When all four contestants began their skating careers, none of them knew anything about skating. “Now they all know how to skate. They are always willing to try,” Bennett says, the pride unmistakable in her voice. “They have stayed through the good and the bad and their self-esteem has gotten better because of it.”
When asked how Special Olympics has benefited the lives of the athletes, Bennett offers two specific reasons. First, it gives the athletes exposure and allows them to know that they are not alone. Second, and more importantly, it gives the athletes confidence. It allows them the opportunity to talk to other people and share their stories, and it creates an atmosphere not only of community, but also of acceptance, tolerance and respect.
The team's hard work paid dividends. Habib won a gold medal in the 500-meter race, Division 4, and shared a silver medal with Farquharson in the 2 x 200-meter relay. Farquharson also took a bronze in the 500-meter, Division 1. Scott won a gold medal in the 100-meter race, Division 6, and a silver in the 300-meter. Brown took a gold in the 300-meter race, Division 3.
By Lucy Sun
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