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 The
flashbulbs were popping, the TV cameras were rolling and applause filled
the room at the headquarters of the Camp Lejuene Marine base. The fuss
was fit for a high-ranking military officer or government official but
instead the attention was surrounding 26 year-old Cortney Quinn. The media
and crowd were in attendance to see Colonel Adele E. Hodges present the
swimmer with a certificate, medal and commemorative jacket for logging
500 miles (9,000 laps) in the Camp Lejeune Swim Club, a mark rarely ever
reached at the base.
Smiling ear to ear, the Special Olympics Onslow County athlete slid her
arms into the jacket embroidered with her name and her accomplishment
and then saluted the colonel and the crowd.
"We were so proud," said Laura Quinn, Cortney's mother. "The
ceremony just brought tears to my eyes. Cortney wants to wear that jacket
everywhere now! You can tell she is also very proud of it!"
Three times a week, Cortney swims between 30-32 laps (up & back)
in the 50 yard Camp Lejeune pool while her mother runs a stopwatch on
her intervals and logs the number of laps. They began to keep track of
Cortney's laps in 2000. Over the past six years, Cortney has earned a
T-shirt for logging 50 miles and sweatshirt for 200 miles. Her next goal
is 1,000 miles and at that point she will be rewarded with her own lane
at the pool!
"She keeps me on my toes," said Quinn. "If I'm day-dreaming
or talking to someone she'll yell to me to keep better count. I forget
she gets tired in there."
A lifeguard at the base, Stephanie Brown taught Cortney how to swim at
age four. Brown demanded a lot from Cortney who fought and kicked her
way through many private lessons. The work paid off. Swimming is by far
Cortney's favorite sport although she also participates in basketball,
bowling and soccer. She began competing in Special Olympics at age 12
and has amassed 52 gold medals in swimming alone. Her best events are
the long distance (800 & 1500 meter) swims.
"Cortney is deaf and mildly autistic," said her mother. "Teaching
her to swim was a feat but I'm so glad she learned. Many of the lifeguards
at the pool and some of the marines she swims alongside have even learned
sign language to be able and communicate with her. She really enjoys the
friends she's made at the pool."
Cortney will make even more friends in the coming year! There's no doubt
she'll be making a big splash over seas! She was recently selected to
represent North Carolina in aquatics as a member of Special Olympics Team
USA that will compete at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai,
China in Oct. 2007.
Congratulations Cortney on a tremendous accomplishment and Good Luck
at World Games!
Nominate a person to be featured in "Spotlight On" -Contact
Leah Sundheim at 1-800-843-6276,
ext. 110.
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