World Games Team Finally Comes Home

Kentucky Contingent Returns Dripping with medals and memories
 
2007 World Games Logo

After nearly three weeks overseas, the Kentucky athletes and coaches who represented Team USA at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games finally returned to Louisville International Airport on Saturday, Oct. 13. The 15 athletes and eight coaches returned to a hero's welcome and were greeted by a throng of family friends and media.

The welcome was appropriate given the tremendous success Kentucky athletes enjoyed during the course of the Games. Kentucky athletes won 14 medals at the Games and added nine more ribbons.

World Games Return
The Special Olympics cauldron burns at the conclusion of the Opening Ceremonies.

The Kentucky basketball team shocked its division and captured the gold medal with two straight wins after losing their three preliminary games. Swimmer Kyle Gathof and gymnast Lee Dockins both won multiple Gold Medals, Gathof in the 100-meter freestyle and 4x50 meter Medley Relay and Dockins in the Vault and Floor Exercise.

Beyond the competitions, the athletes enjoyed a wealth of new experiences, from the basketball team spending time in Beijing, to the entire group's stay with host families. Trying new foods and seeing a new culture were also big events, as was riding out the remnants of a typhoon that struck China during the Games.

See more photos

Complete Event Results

Aquatics    
Athlete Event Place
Kyle Gathof 50-meter Freestyle 4th
  100-meter Freestyle Gold
  4x50-meter Freestyle Relay Silver
  4x50-meter Medley Relay Gold
     
Megan McCormick 50-meter Butterfly Silver
  100-meter Freestyle 5th
  4x50-meter Freestyle Relay Bronze
     
Athletics    
Matt Minning 5,000-meter run Silver
  10,000-meter run Silver
  4x400-meter relay 4th
     
Basketball    
Marcie Blandford Team Competition Gold
Sheila Crowson    
Kay Gregory    
Jennifer Hamilton    
Kelly King    
Crystal Maston    
Taylor Thomas    
Mary Ann Wilcome    
Natalie Williams    
     
Bowling    
Andrew Browning Singles 5th
  Doubles 5th
  Team

6th

     
Jessica Haggerty Singles Silver
  Doubles Gold
  Team Silver
     
Gymnastics    
Lee Dockins All-Around 4th
  Balance Beam 4th
  Floor Exercise Gold
  Uneven Bars Silver
  Vault Gold

For more information about Kentucky's participation in the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games, contact Trish Mazzoni at 800-633-7403 or via e-mail at tmazzoni@soky.org.

 

 
 
 
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Revised Monday, November 26, 2007

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