Louisville Ice Skater Jeannie Luersen has turned her trip to Japan for the Special Olympics World Winter Games into Olympic gold.
Luersen entered the free skate portion of the progam leading her division by just under a point and a half, then dominated the free skate performing to music from The Sound of Music to win her division by commanding margin over Emi Nishida of Japan. It was the first medal of the World Winter Games for a Kentucky athlete.
Roger Kappesser, also of Louisville, enters the free skate portion of the men's competition in fourth place, but is well withing striking distance of a medal.
This is the first ever trip to a Special Olympics World Games competition for Luersen.
