Athletes triumph at Special Olympics Canada 2014 Summer Games

1000+ volunteers deliver Games success for Canada's best Special Olympic athletes

VANCOUVER, July 13, 2014 /CNW/ - The largest Summer Games in Special Olympics Canada history wrapped up in Vancouver last night following four days of intense competition.  More than 2,000 athletes, coaches and officials from across Canada competed in 11 sports and were awarded 2,214 medals.

"Throughout the week, the athletes inspired all of us with their dedication, competitive spirit and sportsmanship," said Cathy Priestner Allinger, Chair of the Games Organizing Committee. "We saw records broken, personal bests achieved and indomitable spirit."

In addition to being the largest Games ever, the Games included a number of other firsts:

• Three new sports – Golf, Basketball and Bocce.
• A dedicated sustainability team focused on six key themes – food, water, energy, waste, transportation, accessibility.
• Six free Healthy Athlete screening programs – vision, audiology, podiatry, dentistry, physical therapy and health & wellness.

"Special Olympics Canada is extremely proud of all the athletes, their coaches and mission staff, the Games Organizing Committee and all of the local volunteers for making these not only the largest Games in Special Olympics Canada's history, but one of our best," said Sharon Bollenbach, CEO, Special Olympics Canada. "The Games Organizing Committee's goal was to deliver a world-class event that put athletes first and they were successful. These Games will serve as a legacy for future Special Olympics Canada Games."

"These Games have been about working together to achieve something truly exceptional. The commitment and efforts of our Games Organizing Committee, our 1,000 plus outstanding volunteers, and our government and corporate sponsors made these Games truly special," added Priestner Allinger.

The Games were hosted at the world-class facilities of the University of British Columbia. Major support for the Games came from the Government of Canada, the Government of British Columbia, the University of British Columbia, Goldcorp, Silver Wheaton, Teck, AltaGas, Eldorado Gold, Lundin Foundation, the City of Vancouver, Rockdoc, Signature Athletics, the New Car Dealers Association of BC, Backbone Technology, Blakes, and media partner, Global.

With the hosting of the 2014 Games, Vancouver became one of only two cities in the Americas to host the Special Olympics Games, the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games.

The final medal count by sport was:

Sport	Medals
5-Pin & 10-Pin Bowling	336
Athletics	645
Bocce	60
Basketball	120
Golf	27
Powerlifting	105
Rhythmic Gymnastics	150
Softball	180
Soccer	120
Swimming	645

Visit Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/125910299@N08/) for Games photos

About Special Olympics Canada
Established in 1969, the Canadian chapter of this international movement is dedicated to enriching the lives of Canadians with an intellectual disability through the transformative power and joy of sport. Operating out of sport clubs in 12 provincial and territorial Chapters, this grassroots movement reaches beyond the sphere of sports to empower individuals, change attitudes and build communities. From two-year-olds to mature adults, more than 37,000 athletes with an intellectual disability are registered in Special Olympics' year-round programs across Canada. They are supported by more than 17,000 volunteers, including more than 13,000 trained coaches.

SOURCE: Special Olympics Canada 2014 Summer Games

For further information: Phone: [phone], [e-mail]; Cheryl Maitland Muir, 604-812-5965; Tera Nelson, 604-785-4319