With their success at the BC Provincial Summer Games still fresh in many people’s minds, Yukon’s Special Olympians were back in game-mode this past weekend at the second annual Development Games.
Following the opening ceremonies at the Yukon Arts Centre on Friday, four squads of Olympians competed in athletics, bocce and basketball at FH Collins Secondary School on Saturday.
“It’s to highlight some of the sports we offer,” said Special Olympics Yukon program director Natasha Jaczek. “Also we’re doing basketball, which we don’t currently offer in our community-based program. It’s to see interest levels and to see how our athletes take to new sports.”
Before the afternoon of friendly competition, the Special Olympians were given clinics by basketball and athletics teams going to next month’s Canada Summer Games.
Special Olympics Yukon just came off their most successful trip to the BC Provincial Summer Games two weeks ago. Wielding their largest contingent of athletes to date, the Yukon team brought home seven medals.
Taking in the largest hardware collection was Jessica Pruden, who won two golds and a silver in athletics. Teammate Owen Munroe, also competing in athletics, won gold and silver.
Yukon’s other two medals, both silvers, came in soccer and bocce.
Contact Tom Patrick at tomp@yukon-news.com