Hudson Valley Special Olympics 2016 |
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Over eight hundred athletes and around a thousand cadet-volunteers took part in the 41st Hudson Valley Special Olympics at West Point Military Academy on Saturday.
Feelings of excitement and accomplishment pervaded the sun drenched Shea Stadium for the track and field events of running long jump, short jump, and adaptive javelin throw.
Sports teams from the Military Academy ran each of the different events. The Wrestling Team organizes the javelin throw or softball throw for those who need more adaptation, every year.
Athletes get six attempts to through a foam javelin. Their furthest throw is recorded and medals are given to first, second, and third places. The wrestlers cheer and yell, chant and throw themselves around like bomb exploded when the athletes make their javelin toss.
The athletes caught the enthusiasm and chanted their own names and cheered and clapped.
Cherish Lessmes,14, from Rondout Valley Central School, won the running long jump. She said she felt like she was going to cry she was so happy.
“I feel so happy. Oh my god! This is such an amazing day!”
She also planned to run the hundred-meter dash and take part in the turbo javelin throw later in the day. She has been training her butt off both on gym days and off-gym days, she said.
Stephen Bendes, 18, of Montague, NJ, was running for Orange-Ulster BOCES. He started his run in a sprinter’s stance. He won his heat, the hundred-meter dash, with a time of 12.11, but says that running is his second favorite sport- basketball is his first.
He also planned to do the shot put and 200-meter dash events throughout the day.
Feelings of excitement and accomplishment pervaded the sun drenched Shea Stadium for the track and field events of running long jump, short jump, and adaptive javelin throw.
Sports teams from the Military Academy ran each of the different events. The Wrestling Team organizes the javelin throw or softball throw for those who need more adaptation, every year.
Athletes get six attempts to through a foam javelin. Their furthest throw is recorded and medals are given to first, second, and third places. The wrestlers cheer and yell, chant and throw themselves around like bomb exploded when the athletes make their javelin toss.
The athletes caught the enthusiasm and chanted their own names and cheered and clapped.
Cherish Lessmes,14, from Rondout Valley Central School, won the running long jump. She said she felt like she was going to cry she was so happy.
“I feel so happy. Oh my god! This is such an amazing day!”
She also planned to run the hundred-meter dash and take part in the turbo javelin throw later in the day. She has been training her butt off both on gym days and off-gym days, she said.
Stephen Bendes, 18, of Montague, NJ, was running for Orange-Ulster BOCES. He started his run in a sprinter’s stance. He won his heat, the hundred-meter dash, with a time of 12.11, but says that running is his second favorite sport- basketball is his first.
He also planned to do the shot put and 200-meter dash events throughout the day.
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