Every two years, thousands of Special Olympics athletes from six continents come together to showcase their athletic skills and bring the spirit of the Special Olympics organization to life. Alternating between Summer and Winter Games, the Special Olympics World Games feature intense athletic competition and inspiring performances from talented Special Olympics athletes from across the globe.
Four athletes from Davie, Mecklenburg and Wake Counties represented the United States at the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games in PyeongChang, Republic of Korea. As part of Special Olympics Team USA, these athletes joined 3,300 athletes from 112 countries around the world competing in eight Olympic-type sports: Alpine skiing, Cross Country Skiing, Snowboarding, Snow Shoeing, Short Track Speed Skating, Figure Skating, Floor Hockey and Floor Ball demonstration. The Special Olympics World Winter Games took place Jan. 26- Feb. 6, 2013.
2013 World Winter Games Results
Zach Butler (Snowboarding):
Giant Slalom: Bronze Medal
Super Giant Slalom: Silver Medal
Slalom: Bronze Medal
Stephanie Jamie (Alpine skiing):
Giant Slalom: 5th place ribbon
Slalom: Gold Medal
Super Giant Slalom: 4th place ribbon
Katie Carter (Figure skating):
Singles Skating: 6th place ribbon
Ice Dancing: Silver Medal
Rory Kinane (Speed skating):
333m race: 5th place ribbon
500m race: 5th place ribbon
777m race: Silver Medal
Congratulations Special Olympics Team USA-NC!
SO Team USA -North Carolina photos available online via Flickr.
North Carolina was also represented at the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games by the following: Catherine “Tappie” Dellinger of Indian Trail- Team USA Ice skating coach; Jake Harkey of Concord- Team USA Alpine skiing coach; Capt. Thurman Whisnant of the Hickory Police Department- Global Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg torch runner, Andrea Stamm of Cary – Ice Skating sports manager; Dr. Tim Taft of Chapel Hill – medical staff for Special Olympics Team USA.
Special Olympics Team USA photos are available online.
No Special Olympics athlete is ever charged a fee to participate at any level of Special Olympics competition so it is the responsibility of the volunteers and staff to raise the funds needed. In the case of the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games, Special Olympics North Carolina needed to raise $5,000 per athlete for their involvement. Online fundraising web pages were created for each athlete in order to help raise funds.
Special Olympics North Carolina uses the advancement criteria set forth by Special Olympics, Inc. to select the athletes who will be a part of Team USA. Gold medal winners from all ability level divisions are put into a random drawing in order to be selected for participation in the Games.
In 2015 the Special Olympics World Summer Games will be held in Los Angeles, California.
