Able2 Pontefract Special Olympics
an Associate club of Special Olympics GB
NEWS 2010

 

January 2010

MASONIC BOOST
On a very cold and snowy January evening, Sophie and Jason were ‘able to’ accept a cheque for £500 from Worshipful Brothers Jeff Fisher and John Davies of the Three Roses Lodge 7110.  The donation was given from the Provincial Grand Master’s Fund (Masonic Charities) to help purchase tracksuits and other sports uniform for the Able2 Pontefract Special Olympics Group.

Able2 Pontefract Special Olympics is a newly formed Group who train three times a week at Featherstone Sports Centre and Pool.  The athletes at Able2 compete in swimming, boccia, new age kurling, athletics and equestrian events at Regional and National level.

Group Chairman, Steve Peace, said “We are very grateful for the generous donation from the Masons.  The uniforms will help to give our athletes a great sense of unity and pride in their Group.”


Sophie and Jason with other members of Able2
receiving the cheque from Jeff Fisher and John Davies

 

 

February 2010

GOLDEN KURLS
Four members of Able2 Pontefract Special Olympics are celebrating after each winning gold at the inaugural Special Olympics Yorkshire and Humberside Kurling Championships.  Jason, Sophie, Oliver and Richard represented Able2 at the event, which took place at Featherstone Sports Centre, on Saturday 13th February.

New Age Kurling (spelt with a ‘k’) is similar to the Winter Olympic sport of ice curling.  Players aim to place their stones closest to the centre of a target.  However, New Age Kurling is played on any smooth floor and the stones run on ball bearing ‘wheels’.

Richard competed in the Senior Division for players using a ramp and claimed first place.  Sophie won gold in the Junior Wheelchair Division.  Both demonstrated great accuracy and game tactics to claim their titles.

In the Junior Division, Jason won gold.  Oliver also delivered some great shots to become Youth Champion.


Kurling Champions: Richard, Jason, Oliver and Sophie
All four members of Able2 Pontefract qualified to represent Yorkshire and Humberside at the National Special Olympics Kurling Championships at Widnes in July.

The event also trialed the new Kurling Awards Scheme, developed by Fiona Hall (Federation of Disability Sports Organisations), Steve Greatorex (Wakefield Able2 Sports) and Steve Peace (Able2 Pontefract Special Olympics).  Many athletes successfully completed the first level award.

 

 

CITY OF HULL SWIMMING GALA
Able2 Pontefract Special Olympics took three swimmers to the City Of Hull Swimming Gala at Beverley Leisure Centre on 27th February.  Other teams attending were from the Yorkshire and Humberside region along with a team from the Netherlands.


Able2 Pontefract swimmers: Oliver, Sophie and Jason

Our swimmers all won medals and achieved personal bests in several races: Sophie - 25m freestyle 39.4sec (2nd),  50m freestyle 1min 26.03sec (2nd) Jason - 25m freestyle 25.53sec (1st),  50m backstroke 1min 8.47sec (1st) Oliver - 25m breaststroke 24.34sec (1st),  50m breaststroke 54.91sec (4th)

 

 

March 2010

YORKSHIRE & HUMBERSIDE BOCCIA
On 13th March, Sophie, Richard and Oliver represented Able2 Pontefract at the Special Olympics boccia championships at Richard Dunn Leisure Centre, Bradford.


Eighteen teams from around the region competed in mini-leagues during the morning session.  After lunch, teams went through to play off for the medals.  Able2, who were unbeaten all day, faced a team from Thorne in the final.  After losing a point in the first end, Able2 dominated the rest of the match, winning convincingly by 13 points to 1 to claim first place and the gold medals.

Sophie, Richard and Oliver are all hoping to be selected to join the Yorkshire & Humberside squad to compete at the Special Olympics National Boccia Championships to be held in Widnes in the autumn.

 

 

FUNDRAISING NEWS

Able2 Pontefract Special Olympics would like to thank the following for their generous donations towards the purchase of uniform and kit for our athletes:

GMB at Work
Wakefield Metropolitan District Schools' Sports Federation

Thanks also go to Colette and Chris for negotiating a fantastic deal at the uniform suppliers.  Our athletes now have a kit comprising of: tracksuit, 2 polo shirts, hooded top, waterproof jacket and kit bag.  We have already had several comments, at recent events, about how smart our athletes look.

 

 

April 2010

ATHLETICS
Sophie, Richard, Jason and Oliver took part in the Sheffield Festival of Athletics at Don Valley Stadium on 18th April.  The event gave our athletes opportunity to compete in a large stadium and get up-to-date times and distances for the new season.


Able2 athletes at the Sheffield Festival of Athletics

 

 

June 2010

ATHLETICS
Sarah S joined our athletics team to compete in the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Athletics Competition.  The event took place on 26th June at Huntington Stadium, York.  Teams from the Yorkshire region attended along with some from further away such as Northumberland and Wrexham in Wales.  The sun shone all day but the cluster of 15 medals won by the Pontefract team shone even brighter!



Jason won a silver medal in the standing long jump and bronzes in the 50m run and javelin.  Sophie took the gold medal in the 50m wheelchair race and silver in the javelin.  Oliver won gold in the standing long jump and three silver medals in the softball throw, 100m run and relay.  Richard finished in second place to win silver in the 50m walk and earned bronze medals in the softball throw and javelin.  New member, Sarah S, competed in her first event for Able2 and took home a full set of medals – gold in the softball throw, silver in the javelin and a bronze in the 50m run.

 

 

July 2010

SWIMMING
Four members of Able2 Pontefract Special Olympics competed in the Sheffield Otter’s Swimming Gala at Stocksbridge Leisure Centre on Sunday 4th July.  Congratulations to all our team members, who swam against some very tough competitors.  Jason was on top form that day and won 3 gold medals.

Swimming results: Jason – 50m backstroke 1min 04.31sec (1st),  50m freestyle 56.69sec (1st),  25m freestyle 25.69sec (1st) Oliver - 50m breaststroke 52.68sec (3rd),  25m breaststroke 23.56sec (2nd),  25m freestyle 23.04sec Sophie - 50m freestyle 1min 30.59sec,  25m freestyle 38.72sec Sarah S – 50m freestyle 1min 06.37sec (2nd),  25m freestyle 23.9sec (1st),  25m breaststroke 30.12sec

 

 

August 2010

LIONS SPORTS DAY
Able2 Pontefract Special Olympics athletes were invited to the Lions Sports Day at Sandall Park, Doncaster on Saturday 7th August.  Sarah S and Oliver represented our club.

Athletes took part in a variety of games and sports activities such as precision and distance throwing, mini-golf, fishing and darts.

Target throw

Mini-golf

Special guests included the ‘Stig’ from Top Gear.  Athletes were scored at each event and the overall winner of each game was presented with an Event Winner trophy at the closing ceremony.


Oliver meets ‘Stig’
Sarah was the overall winner in the ladies’ weightlifting event and Oliver won the basketball shoot-out.


Trophy winners Sarah and Oliver

 

 

HOME

NEWS 2009

GALLERY

 

 

---

Copyright © 2009-2010 Able2 Pontefract Special Olympics.  All rights reserved.