Special Olympians win 53 medals in Delaware

Bermuda’s athletes blew the competition away at this month’s Special Olympics in Delaware.

The island’s 17-strong team, comprised of student athletes from CedarBridge and Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academies, amassed a staggering 53 medals — including 30 gold, 16 silver and seven bronze.

Leading the charge was 19-year-old sprinter Kristopher Trott who captured four gold medals in the 100 and 200 metres, long jump and relay.

The CedarBridge Academy student ran the 100 metres in 13 second flat and the 200 metres in 27.50 seconds. He then leapt 2.41 metres to capture top honours in the long jump before collecting a fourth gold medal on the island’s 4x100 relay team that covered the distance in record time (1.02.60).   

Also thriving at the University of Delaware was Shaqune Whitehurst who captured gold in the 50 and 100 metres walk and tennis ball throw.

Accompanying the team to Delaware was coach Rickey Watts, the former Chicago Bears wide- receiver, who gave his athletes the proverbial thumbs up.

He said: “I think the athletes did a really good job. They just went into another mode, which I thought they might.

“A lot of the kids did an outstanding job. When the gun started they just took off, which was a great thing to see.”

The former NFL player said his athletes surpassed his own expectations.

“I was worried some of the athletes would freeze up because you don’t know how they are going to react whenever they are in a crowd of people,” he added. “But when the lights came on and the gun shot these kids just sparked and did an outstanding job.”

The island’s remaining gold medal winners included walkers Kacy Darrell, Justin Smith and Jaime Brangman and tennis ball thrower Mahalia Maynard.

Watts added: “The athletes did themselves and the island proud. They just fired up and made it happen.”