Jamaica at the Winter Games

The delegation of Jamaica will send 18 male participants to the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria 2017. 16 of them will take part at Floor Hockey, the other two will give their best at the Speed Skating contest. Glendon West, Head of the delegation (HOD) of Jamaica, explains the expectations of the athletes: “The athletes are expecting to have well organized games, to establish friendship with as many persons around the world as possible and to have good competition, lots of fun and are hoping to win a medal for their country.” Two of the Jamaican athletes will participate at the Speed Skating contests. Therefore, they have been practicing on a concrete surface with inline skates. This month, they will visit Florida, USA, where they will spend a week at an ice rink. “This is the first time they will practice on ice!” says Glendon West.

Before the Games will start, the whole delegation will spend some days in Tulln, Lower Austria, which is the host town for Jamaica. Apart from the athletes, there will be the HOD, an assistant HOD and three coaches - two for floor hockey and one for speed skating - who give advice and support to the 18 participants from Jamaica. Furthermore, the Jamaican athletes will have support from an Austrian school. “We are expecting a lot of support from students from HLW Schrödinger Schule”, adds Mr West.

written by Patrick Kaiser (University of Applied Sciences Graz-Joanneum)

Here you can find all infos to the athletes of Jamaica