Jamaica’s Special Olympics athletes have attained the nation’s best performance at the Winter Games to date. The Special Olympics World Games recently held in Graz, Austria, saw Jamaica’s representatives win a total of five medals. Romaine Austin won two gold medals in speed skating 333-meter Division 18 and 500-meter Division 15 races. Dave Oddman earned gold in the Division 32 speed skating event. In total, Jamaican Special Olympians came home with five medals: three gold, one silver, and one bronze. Jamaica’s floor hockey team defeated Costa Rica 2 to 1 in a play-off to win the bronze and won two silver medals in two categories of figure skating. According to the head of the Jamaican delegation to Austria Glendon West, 2017’s athletes were the most successful he has led in regard to medals and to the “unity of the delegation. He said the performances were good, and the athletes adhered to an all-for-one philosophy of camaraderie. West has been to four Winter Games and three Summer Games. He went on to say that “this has been, for me, the best organized Games, whether Summer or Winter Games. The Austrians did themselves proud and they pulled out all the stops to ensure that the athletes enjoy not only the competition, but other offerings.”

Photo Source: Special Olympics Jamaica