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Jundiaí, 4 July– The athletes at the 2008 Special Olympics Pan-American Tennis Tournament demonstrated how to play tennis to the special guests of this event organized by Special Olympics Latin America in Brazil.
At the facilities of the Superior School of Physical Education in Bolao, the athletes shared the Special Olympics Sports Experience, a new initiative launched by the organization which allows participants to become acquainted with the skills and personalities of the athletes first-hand.
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Special Olympics athletes from El Salvador, Brazil, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Argentina, Bahamas, Venezuela and Mexico demonstrated and shared their talents with J. Brady Lum, President and COO of Special Olympics International; Hector Cueva, President of Special Olympics Ecuador; Sergio Elias, President of the South American Tennis Confederation (COSAT); and Dennis Brueggemann, Regional Director of Special Olympics Latin America, among others.
First, the athletes gave instructions and explained the technique to the guests; then, the actual games took place. Both guests and athletes shared a wonderful time. As Special Olympics Mexico athlete Mara Garcia said, “This has been a great experience. They learned very well.”
The Sports Experience was introduced at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China, in 2007 when athletes and guests played seven sports: basketball, golf, tennis, football, table tennis, floor skating and bocce.
The Sports Experience is part of the Special Olympics Pan-American Tennis Tournament, held 2-6 July in Jundiaí, Brazil, where more than 110 athletes with intellectual disabilities from 18 different countries will demonstrate their tennis abilities. In addition, personalities from the worlds of politics, health and sports have all come together to endorse the tournament.
The theme for the tournament — “Be a Fan” — embodies the Special Olympics vision of the 40-year history of the movement and the values of its athletes: dignity, courage, acceptance and spirit. This year, the global Special Olympics movement celebrates the innovative and inspirational vision of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who in 1968 introduced the idea of sports as a means to transform the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and also their communities, creating a world of tolerance and inclusion for everyone.
For further information on the Special Olympics Pan-American Tennis Tournament, visit www.esef.br/panamericano
Contact
Claudia Echeverry
+ (507) 317 0615
cechevrry@specialolympics.org
Raquel Delgado
+ (507) 317 0615
rdelgado@specialolympics.org
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