Categorized | Running, Sports

Hilo athlete off to Greece for Special Olympics World Games

Karin Stanton | Hawaii 24/7 Editor

Louie Perry III photo courtesy of Wayne Joseph

Louie Perry Photo courtesy of Wayne Joseph | waynejoseph.wordpress.com

Louie Perry

When the Special Olympics World Summer Games kick off next week in Greece, the Big Island will be well represented.

 

Louie Perry III, an outstanding runner from Pahoa, is one of three Hawaii athletes on Team USA.The other two athletes are from Oahu – swimmer Jenny Bensman and weightlifter Nick Pang.

The trio will be accompanied by their coaches, including Perry’s friend and mentor, Mar Ortaleza, a Full Life Direct Support worker.

Perry, a Pahoa High School graduate, likely will compete in the 1,500 meter run and 3,000 meter runs, and also will run a leg on the 4×400 relay.

Just a couple of weeks ago, Perry picked up four medals at the Hawaii State Special Olympics games:

* Gold Medal – individual 800 meter run (Perry set a new personal record and a Hawaii Special Olympics record)

* Gold Medal – 1,000 meter run

* Gold Medal – long jump

* Silver Medal – 4×100

A nature photographer, Perry, 27, also was recognized with a Certificate of Accomplishment Award at a recent Hawaii County Council meeting.

Comprised of 315 athletes and 125 coaches, Special Olympics Team USA joins 7,000 athletes from nearly 180 nations to compete in the World Games in Athens, June 25 – July 4. Additionally, the event will draw more than 25,000 volunteers, 3,000 event officials as well as thousands of families, spectators and journalists from every continent.

In addition to the athletes and coaches, Hawaii’s law enforcement officers will be represented at the World Games.

Honolulu Police Department Officer Trish Doronila was selected to represent Hawaii law enforcement, running in the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg across Greece.

Deputy Chief Antonio Williams, U.S. Army Garrison, was chosen to be a team leader in the final leg, as well as two other Honolulu Police Department personnel, Sgt. Ben Moszkowicz and Major Kurt Kendro, who were asked to lead the invited guests security team in Athens.

Founded in 1968, the Special Olympics’ World Games is hosted every two years and showcases the abilities of athletes with intellectual disabilities.

The World Games is a platform for athletes, their families as well as the community and world leaders to attend policy summits and exchange ideas about fostering the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.

South Korea is scheduled to host Special Olympics’ World Winter Games in 2013.

— Find out more:
Special Olympics Hawaii: www.specialolympicshawaii.org

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