TEAM VIRGINIA BRINGS HOME THE GOLD!
The National Games Flame of Hope
Team Virginia won a total of 19 gold medals, 10 silver medals, 17 bronze medals, ten 4th place ribbons, one 6th place ribbons, five 7th place ribbons and one 8th place ribbon in track & field, swimming, basketball, bowling, golf, gymnastics, powerlifting and tennis.
Grace Anne Braxton captured a gold medal in the 200 M back stock and a silver medal in the 100 M swimming competition at the first-ever Special Olympics Virginia National Games in Ames, Iowa.
Brendan Hammeke was excited to win a bronze medal in the 100 M freestyle and fourth place ribbon in the 50 M backstroke swimming competition this week in Iowa.
Amy Loudenback won two gold medals in the 100 M and 200 M swimming competition.
Ian McCullough has been training in aquatics with Special Olympics for 17 years, his training paid off when he won the silver medal in the 200 freestyle swimming competition at this year's National Games. McCullough, 25, then earned a fourth place ribbon in the 100 M competition.
The Riverbend Grizzlies captured the bronze medal for their outstand efforts in basketball. They played a hard game against Southern California. Coached by Beverly Collins and Robert Elswick the basketball team from Riverbend High school was: Romona Auclair, Thomas Brent, Margaret Elswick, Shawnthe' Faucet, Kristi Long, Melinda Prather, Caitlin Rapp, Darnell Sedgewick and Samantha Sheehan. Coach Collins said she was very proud of her team.
Howard Joyner earned a silver medal in doubles bowling. Joyner also won fourth place in singles and seventh place in mixed team bowling.
Ruth Anne Leroy won a gold medal in bowling with her three game score of 237. Leroy won a 4th place ribbon for her double game with teammate Rachel Register and a 7th place ribbon in mixed team bowling.
Rachael Register won a fourth place ribbon for her three games individual bowling score of 212. Register also won a 4th place ribbon in doubles and a 7th place ribbon her team bowling.
Richard Robinson won two silver medals in doubles bowling with partner Howard Joyner for their combined score of 632. Robinson won a silver medal for his three game individual bowling score of 476. The team Virginia bowling team won a 7th place ribbon for mixed team bowling.
Craig and Tommy Marek won fourth place for their three day score of 174. The father and son team plays 9 holes alternate shot in this unified partner division.
A very excited Ionela Warren of Spotsylvania jumped in to her father's arms as she won the gold medal in golf skills.
Graham Wright won a bronze medal yesterday in golf. Wright, Special Olympics Virginia athlete of the year, received a three day score of 346 for 18 holes of golf.
Michael Abraham won 6 gymnastics medals and a ribbon. Abraham won a gold medal for rings, a gold medal for floor, a silver medal on the parallel bars, a bronze medal for vault, a bronze medal for high bars, a sixth place ribbon for pommel horse and an all around silver medal.
Gymnast Catherine Romaine won a bronze medal for her floor exercise. Romaine enjoyed meeting new people at the 2006 National Games.
Gloria Jeffries earned four gold medals at the first-ever Special Olympics National Games in Ames, Iowa. Jeffries won 4 gold medals in the bench press, squats, dead lift and all around powerlifting competition. She beat her personal best by 35 pounds.
Powerlifter Tyrone Jones won two gold medals for his outstanding dead lift and squats
Chantal Sicot was excited to earned four bronze in powerlifting. Sicot has been training very hard for this competition and was very happy with her performance breaking her personal best weight by 25 pounds.
Samuel Zimmerman won two gold medals for bench press and squat, a silver medal in dead lift and a all-around powerlifting gold medal.
Chris Raupp won a gold medal in mixed doubles with teammate Stefanie Ward. Raupp went on to win a silver medal in singles tennis.
Stephanie Ward won two gold medals for her outstand tennis skills. Ward won her mixed doubles and carried that momentum on to win her singles matches. Ward says, "I and excited to win the gold for Team Virginia."
Danny Joe Cook won a bronze medal at the first-ever Special Olympics National Games. Cook ran the 4x100 relay with Virginia teammates Shawna Goode, Amy Gootzait and Andy Lent to capture a bronze medal. Cook received a 7th place ribbon in the 100 M and 8th place ribbon in the 200 M track events.
Shawna Goode competed in track & field winning a silver medal in the 100 M and two bronze medals in the shot put and 4x100.
Amy Gootzait won two bronze medals in the 200 M and 4x100 track & field relay and a 4th place ribbon in the 100 M event.
Andrew Lent won 2 bronze medals in the 200 M and the 4x100 relay with Virginia track & field teammates Danny Cook, Shawna Goode and Amy Gootzait. Lent also won a 4th place ribbon for his efforts in the 100 M.
The inaugural Special Olympics USA National Games took place on the Iowa State University campus in Ames, Iowa, July 2 - 7, 2006. Sports competition for the 2006 Special Olympics USA National Games included swimming, track and field, basketball, gymnastics, motor activities, power lifting, bowling, tennis, golf, softball, bocce ball, soccer and volleyball. In the spirit of Olympic-type sports, there was a spectacular Opening and Closing Ceremonies, a Special Olympics Festival, a National Youth Summit, and symposiums. For more information, please visit www.2006nationalgames.org.
For more information about the 2006 National Games or Special Olympics Virginia, please call 1-800-932-GOLD or go to www.specialolympicsva.com.
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