Team New Brunswick brought home 22 medals at the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games, including 13 personal bests.
Team manager Jason Agnew says has been involved in Special Olympics ever since he can remember.
“My father started the program here in 1979, so I was 6 years old and always at his knee. Officially I started in 1988, volunteering when I was in high school and I’ve pretty much done it ever since,” he says.
Agnew says he enjoys the display of true sportsmanship the athletes display, explaining that they are fierce competitors throughout the week but also build lifelong friendships.
He says many people have a misunderstanding when it comes to the level of sport these athletes compete in.
Atheles must train, watch their diet and compete in lower level competitions, just like generic sport, in order to qualify for the national event.
Agnew says a number of Moncton athletes were part of team, including the curling team.
“They went undefeated in regular play and lost sort of a heart breaker in the semi-finals and then ended up winning the final game 10 to 1. They were the talk of the town when we were in Thunder Bay, we had people that were calling around and saying ‘hey, you’ve got to come check out this New Brunswick team,” he says.
Agnew says three speed skaters from Moncton were also on the team.
