Special Olympics Athletes Secures Regional Bocce Medals

Two Special Olympics athletes from Stella Maris competed in the Caribbean Special Olympics Bocce Event in Grand Cayman and brought home four medals. Elijah Martinez and Kiefer Simon were greeted at the Philip Goldson International Airport this afternoon by the school’s marching band. They then headed over to Stella Maris where the celebration continued. Students held up posters and shouted in celebration when the team arrived at the school’s entrance. We spoke with their coach, Sheree Selgado who also underwent training in Grand Cayman to become a certified bocce coach. We also heard from Marshall Nunez, the Disability Desk Coordinator, who joined the athletes on this journey, as well as the athletes themselves.

 

Sheree Selgado, Coach, Special Olympics Bocce Team

“We actually did a lot of practice before we left for grand Cayman to participate in this competition. Bocce is almost, they would say the cousin to bowling. It entails a small ball that is called a pallino. Each teams would get four balls to play and the objective of the game is you need to get your balls as close as possible to that pallino. It means so much, we went out there. We just practiced in our school yard. WE didn’t even have a proper facility compared to the other regions that we played against. We went optimistic. The boys kept saying we are coming back with gold. We fell short by one point for that gold but we came back with medal.”

 

 

Marshall Nunez, Disability Desk Coordinator, Ministry of Human Development

“We attended the special Olympics Caribbean initiative, the first ever Caribbean Bocce Tournament in Grand Cayman, the tournament was from Thursday until Saturday. They had twenty participating countries. Our boys, Keifer Simon and Elija Martinez participated in the individual competition. Elijah won bronze and Simon won silver and in the team competition we won silver medals. So we got three silver medal and one bronze.”

 

 

 

Elijah Martinez, Bocce Athlete

“Well ih feel good for me and for Belize.”

 

Paul Lopez

And what was going through your mind when you were over there competing?

 

Elijah Martinez

“I never think I would win any medal for Belize. I think my coach, I thank Belize, My mom, my dad, all my family and Stella Marris School.”

 

Paul Lopez

“How does it feel to bring home two medal?”

 

Kiefer Simon, Bocce Athlete

“I feel good.”

 

 

Paul Lopez

“What was it like competing, what was going through your mind?”

 

 

 

Kiefer Simon

“Brining gold.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Anybody you would like to big up?”

 

Kiefer Simon

“My coach and Belize and my school.”