Manitoba athletes eye podium at Special Olympics Canada Winter Games

Team Manitoba athletes were sent off in style to this year’s Special Olympics Canada Winter Games.

The Manitoba chapter of the charity hosted a party to bid farewell and good luck to the athletes suiting up to compete for our province at this year’s games in Calgary.

William Middleton is heading west to compete in snowshoeing, marking his debut at the games. He’s excited to see the mountains and go head-to-head in the sport he loves.

“It means the world to compete,” he told reporters at the send-off party.

Middleton is one of 58 local athletes competing in the games from Feb. 27 to March 2 in everything from five-pin bowling to curling to speed skating.

Like the Olympics, the national games are held every two years and alternate between summer and winter.

Melissa Suggitt, marketing manager with Special Olympics Manitoba, says the games give athletes a sense of belonging and purpose.

“They can make friends. They can show off their skills. They have abilities that I think sometimes society does not give them credit for,” Suggitt said.

While she says going to the games is about so much more than winning, Suggitt is confident our Manitoba athletes can bring home some hardware.

“We are very competitive and our athletes are ready to take it on. They are ready to run, to play floor hockey, to ski. They are just ready to bring it. I have seen them practice. I have seen them train, and I think it’s very likely that we’re going to see some medals coming home to Manitoba.”