Quest for Gold: Clinton County Special Olympians Abu Dhabi-Bound

LOCK HAVEN – It will soon be the trip of a lifetime for nine Clinton County athletes who will represent not only their home county but also the United States at the 2019 Special Olympics World Sumer Games in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The team, dubbed the Hawks, has earned Pennsylvania titles in the past, including last year, and now will compete against the best in the world next month. The athletes, along with coaches Brad Marr, Charles Litz and Sarah Fromknecht, will begin their journey simply enough, from the Lowe’s parking lot in Bald Eagle Township Wednesday, March 6. They’ll be off to Williamsport for a special dinner. That’s just the start. Next is a flight to Newark, NJ and then, with the rest of the US delegation, on their way for a trip to the Middle East in an effort to challenge themselves against the best Special Olympic volleyball players from around the world.

Team members include Holden Marr, Elaine Litz, Ronald Smith, Kathy Marr, Jordan Litz, Conner Borner, Lee Powers, Christopher Smith and Robert S. Borner Jr.

The Hawks have been practicing two-times-a-week at the Lock Haven YMCA against challenging outside competition in preparation for the trip. Christopher Smith said the team is “really excited” about the journey. He said, “We’re pretty good in-state and we want to be the best in the world, we’re going for a gold medal.”

Team member Elaine Litz noted the trip itself will be a long one, some 14 hours or so. She said event organizers have set up four days upon arrival to get acclimated to the new surroundings. Litz said there will also be an opportunity to see attractions in the United Arab Emirates. She said some members of the Clinton County team have been playing together for as many as eight or nine years and is proud of their accomplishments.

The trip for this Clinton County team will be the first in any sport to the World Games in nearly a quarter century. The rest of the Pennsylvania delegation will include a power lifter, a track and field participant and a tennis player.

According to information from the Special Olympic website:

More than 7,000 athletes from over 170 countries will compete in 24 different individual and team sports. Special Olympics USA will send a 313-member delegation to represent the United States, comprised of 216 athletes, 63 coaches and approximately 34 delegation members who support team operations. Team members will compete in 18 of the 24 sports offered: athletics, basketball, bocce, bowling, cycling, equestrian, football (soccer), golf, gymnastics – artistic, gymnastics—rhythmic, open water swimming, powerlifting, sailing, swimming, table tennis, tennis, triathlon, and volleyball.

Special Olympics USA is the national team that represents the United States at the Special Olympics World Summer and Winter Games. Team members compete in an array of the 32 official Special Olympics summer and winter sports, in individual and team formats.

Every two years, the world transcends the boundaries of geography, nationality, political philosophy, gender, age, culture and religion to come together for the Special Olympics World Games. Alternating between summer and winter Games, this event is the flagship event of the Special Olympics movement, which promotes inclusion, equality, and acceptance around the world.

This is expected to be the largest Special Olympics World Games in history. ESPN’s global television networks and digital media will bring extensive coverage to sports fans and supporters of the Special Olympics movement around the world. As the official broadcast partner of Special Olympics, ESPN’s television coverage will be carried across its networks in the U.S. as well as streamed through WatchESPN and the ESPN App.

The Opening Ceremony will take place at Zayed Sports City Stadium on Thursday 14 March from 5 p.m. and is set to be a spectacular celebration of humanity at its brilliant best.

More than 40,000 spectators at Zayed Sports City and millions of viewers worldwide are expected to celebrate the official start of the World Games. Spectators will witness the largest number of nations take part in a parade at a Special Olympics Opening Ceremony as each athlete prepares to showcase their sporting talent on a global stage.

The athletes will be accompanied by a number of international celebrities and sporting heroes who are passionate about driving the Special Olympics movement forward.