Parksville Special Olympics swimmer Amanda Stewart will be with Team B.C. at the 2018 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Antigonish, Nova Scotia that is taking place this week until Aug. 4.
Stewart is one of 174 athletes on Special Olympics Team B.C. who will be going up against Special Olympians from across Canada in athletics, basketball, bocce, golf, powerlifting, rhythmic gymnastics, soccer, softball, and swimming.
Team B.C. members qualified for the provincial squad through their performances at the 2017 Special Olympics BC Summer Games in Kamloops.
Stewart’s coaches informed Special Olympics Oceanside that she has been training hard, working with sport-specific experts twice a week and is excited to be heading to nationals.
Two of her teammates have been training alongside her to push her and prepare her to compete hard.
Special Olympics Oceanside thanked coach Judy Button for her time and commitment to our competing athletes.
Special Olympics competitions operate on a four-year cycle for both summer and winter sports.
Athletes compete in regional events and then at the provincial games to advance to the national games. Special Olympics Canada Games are the qualifiers for Special Olympics World Games.
In Antigonish, athletes will compete for the opportunity to represent Canada at the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi.
— Submitted by Christine Neeter,
Special Olympics Oceanside