Particular Olympics Jamaica athletes Shavanni Wang (left) and Oshane Daley take part in floorball coaching at Stadium East in February 2025.
Anticipation is excessive inside the Particular Olympics Jamaica (SOJ) camp, as athletes arrive in Italy for the 2025 World Winter Video games.
The Winter Video games are scheduled to start on Saturday with the opening ceremony. After per week of motion in varied sports activities throughout the northern Italian metropolis of Turin and its environs, the Video games are set to shut on March 15.
Jamaican groups received hearts with their mind-boggling performances and infectious attraction at earlier editions of the Particular Olympics World Winter Video games.
They had been a giant hit on the 2013 Winter Video games within the Republic of Korea, claiming three medals. Jamaica received silver medals in two ice determine skating classes and likewise positioned second in ground hockey.
Jamaicans received 5 medals on the 2017 staging in Austria — their finest at a Winter Video games. They received three gold and a silver medal in ice pace skating, whereas the ground hockey crew walked away with bronze.
At these Video games, their medal quest is tied to the nation’s participation in ice pace skating and floorball.
Glendon West, the SOJ head of delegation to Italy, hinted to the Jamaica Observer that extra fireworks may very well be within the pipeline.
“Everybody is happy and has vowed to be courageous within the try. I undoubtedly imagine they’ll [do well],” he mentioned.
“We’ll have a pair hours to recuperate earlier than the opening ceremony after which we’ll have coaching for the skaters and floorball crew on Sunday and Monday.”
West added: “That is the primary time we’ll be taking part in floorball – a recreation that originated in Sweden within the 1970’s. 5 of the eight members have by no means attended an Olympics earlier than.
“The Oddman twins, Dave and Dale, will [compete] in pace skating. Dave was on the Video games in Austria and his brother is now becoming a member of him in Turin. Each haven’t had an opportunity to practise on ice this yr [but] we’re maintaining our fingers crossed that [despite] the dearth of observe on ice each will do nicely.”
He famous the privilege to be main the nation to his fourth Winter Video games.
“I’m comfortable to once more be requested to go the [SOJ] delegation. The truth is, that is my fourth stint as HOD — first in Idaho (United States), then South Korea, and Austria and now Turin, Italy,” West mentioned.
The Particular Olympics motion goals to offer year-round coaching and competitors in a wide range of Olympic-type sports activities for youngsters and adults with mental disabilities.
It affords individuals with mental disabilities the chance to develop bodily health, expertise pleasure, and take part in sharing presents, abilities and friendship with their households and different athletes.
The disabilities can both be acquired or genetic, and might embody circumstances of down syndrome, autism, traumatic mind harm and cerebral palsy.
— Sanjay Myers
