CYCLING: Stephen Brown from Livingston in Lothian, Scotland, had plenty of reason to celebrate yesterday. Not only was it his 33rd birthday, it was also his first time cycling for Great Britain at a Special Olympics World Games. Iva Pocock reports.
There are cycling teams from 26 countries competing - most are on bicycles but there are two tandems and two tricycles.
Stephen was joined in birthday celebrations by Heiko Zitzmann from the German team, who turned 31. Two large cakes decorated with their respective national flags were presented to them in the athletes' enclosure.
Although she had no candles to blow out, Yasoda Ramachandra (21) from Udupi, India, was also delighted with the first day of races, having competed in the one kilometre and 500-metre time trials. A cyclist for 10 years, this was her first international Olympics, unlike fellow team member Narayana Niraj Mitra from Bangalore (18), who represented India at the Games in 1999.
Back then he was competing in swimming. With luck he may add to his impressive collection of medals: a gold, silver and bronze.
A third member of the six-strong Indian team, Pawan Kumar Karanam (18), from Hyderabad, says he is "nervous" before the first cycling final of the week, the 500-metre time trial.
But all the athletes have participated in "very specific training for the last four months at two special camps", explains head coach, Harpreet Singh Gambhor. From southern India, this is his first time at a World Games. It is a trip he says he will never forget. Staying with host families in Athlone was like being at home: "They were so caring of us."
The athletes' lounge is adorned with cards made by pupils at Griffith Barracks National School in Dublin.
With messages such as "We don't mind if you lose, you're a winner to me," volunteer Helen Fullen says they reflect the influence of the Special Olympics schools programme in changing attitudes. When visiting the school she was delighted to hear a junior infants pupil explaining "special needs" to a classmate with the words: "Some people learn faster than others."
