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2011 WORLD SUMMER GAMES
Athens, Greece
June 25 - July 4, 2011
Overview
Nearly 7,000 athletes from 170 countries converged on the most important site in the history of Olympic sport for the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens, Greece, June 25 - July 14.
It was the world’s largest sporting event of the year, a celebration of the abilities and accomplishments of people with intellectual disabilities and clear progress toward a new global vision of acceptance.
From June 25 through July 4, the World Summer Games involved 2,500 coaches, 25,000 volunteers, 3,000 technical officials and referees and tens of thousands of family, friends and fans.
They gathered to watch and cheer as Special Olympics athletes competed in 22 Olympic-style sports in the birthplace of the modern Olympic Games.
Looking even further ahead, South Korea will be next to host the World Games -- the Special Olympics World Winter Games in 2013.
Team USA - Florida sent a delegation of 19 athletes and 4 volunteer coaches. Athletes competed in 7 sports including Aquatics, Athletics (Track & Field), Basketball, Bocce, Cycling, Golf, and Tennis.
Visit the Official World Summer Games website.
Meet Team Florida - USA:
Christopher Alabre - Orange County - Men's Basketball
Results: Team Gold Medal
Michael Bederman - Broward County - Tennis
Results: Singles Gold Medal and Mixed Doubles Silver Medal
Robert Cooper - Orange County - Men's Basketball
Results: Team Gold Medal
Jonathan Doring - Palm Beach County - Tennis
Results: Singles Gold Medal and Doubles 4th Place
Patricia Douglass - Walton County - Track
Results: 5000M Bronze Medal, 3000M 4th Place, and 4x100 Relay Bronze Medal
Silyvins Fleurmont - Orange County - Men's Basketball
Results: Team Gold Medal
Greg Floyd - Walton County - Bocce
Results: Singles Silver Medal, Doubles Bronze Medal, and Team 4th Place
Richard Heath - Indian River County - Golf
Results: 18-hole Gold Medal
Kenyatta Johnson - St. Lucie County - Golf
Results: 9-hole Gold Medal
Andre Larry - Orange County - Men's Basketball
Results: Team Gold Medal
Richard Madison - Orange County - Men's Basketball
Results: Team Gold Medal
Tommy Morgan - Orange County - Men's Basketball
Results: Team Gold Medal
Marcus Patterson - Orange County - Men's Basketball
Results: Team Gold Medal
Brittany Tagliareni - Seminole County - Tennis
Results: Singles Silver Medal and Mixed Doubles Bronze Medal
Shannon Taylor - Orange County - Men's Basketball
Results: Team Gold
Michael Tuason - Pasco County - Aquatics
Results: 400M Freestyle Gold Medal, 800M Freestyle Gold Medal, 1500M Freestyle Bronze Medal, and 4x50 Medley Relay Bronze Medal
Mark Zak - Hillsborough County - Cycling
Results: 1K Gold Medal, 5K Participant Ribbon, and 10K Silver Medal
Follow Team Florida - USA on Facebook!
Photos and Videos of the Games and our Team:
There really aren't words that can capture the excitement, joy and emotion of a World Games, that's why we will have photos and videos, to make you feel like you were there with Team Florida-USA!
Find news, photos and video on our Facebook page. You can also find videos on our YouTube channel.
Team USA website : see photos and read daily journal entries about Team USA at www.specialolympicsteamusa.org
News
6-13-2011
Because the news and updates come fast and furious immediately before and during the Games, we'll post all news regarding the Games and Team Florida on our Facebook page so please follow Team Florida there!
5-22-11
 Miami's Andy Miyares featured in Greek Coca-Cola Displays
Miami-Dade's very own Andy Miyares is making a "splash" in Coca-Cola displays throughout Greece, in advance of the World Summer Games.
Andy is one of two athletes featured in Coca-Cola's in-store, grocery store displays (bottom photo).
Coca-Cola has been an international sponsor of Special Olympics for over 40 years!
As one of the 12 Special Olympics International Global Messengers, Andy wil attend functions and give speeches at the various ceremonies, meetings and events throughout the World Summer Games.
3-25-11
 Miami's Andy Miyares to Attend World Games as International Global Messenger
Miami-Dade athlete Andy Miyares will attend the 2011 World Summer Games in Greece as an International Global Messenger. Andy was selected as a Sargent Shriver International Global Messenger in 2010 - one of only 12 in the world.
Andy will give speeches and interviews on behalf of Special Olympics during the Games, helping to raise awareness about the Games and Special Olympics.
Andy and his fellow Global Messengers will serve in this role from 2010-2014. Andy is considered one of the world's greatest swimmers and medaled at the 2007 World Summer Games in Shanghai, China, in distance swimming.
Meet Andy Miyares!
3-24-11
Special Olympics Team Florida Athletes and Coaches Head to San Diego, CA, for Training Camp March 27-31
In order to prepare for global competition, Team Florida and the rest of Special Olympics Team USA are heading to San Diego State University and nearby venues for a training camp March 27-31.
For Special Olympics Team USA, consisting of 317 athletes and 126 coaches, including management team members, this training camp is the first time many of the Special Olympics athletes will unite with their Special Olympics World Summer Games coach and other athletes from all over the nation who will be joining them on their trip to Athens.
The camp will offer a variety of coaches meetings and sport-specific training for athletes in athletics, aquatics, basketball, bocce, bowling, bicycling, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, kayaking, powerlifting, sailing, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball.
Special Olympics athletes and coaches will participate in a variety of unifying and team-building activities during their time in San Diego. Featured events for the camp include an Opening Ceremony featuring Olympic decathlete and founder of Special Olympics Southern California Rafer Johnson and Closing Ceremony/Greek Night featuring Olympic softball player Amanda Freed. Also during camp, athletes from Special Olympics Team USA will be fitted for their uniforms and have sport-specific photos taken.
Special thanks go to Champion, the official performance apparel supplier of Special Olympics Team USA. Other sponsors are P&G, the American Federation of Teachers and MTM Recognition. Loudmouth is a product supplier of Special Olympics Team USA’s golf team.
For more information on Special Olympics Team USA, visit http://www.specialolympicsteamusa.org
3-23-11
NBA Superstar Equips Florida's Men's Basketball Team for Success!
NBA superstar Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic made sure Florida's men's basketball team would be dressed for success at the World Games by donating paris of his brand new Adidas "Superbeast" basketball shoes to each player.
The shoes were presented before a team practice on March 22.
Team USA member, who met Dwight in February, told his teammates "We've got to win because Dwight Howard sent a message...he said 'if I give you my shoes, you better win!'"
As part of the Orlando Magic, Dwight was also involved in helping prepare Florida's gold medal winning men's basketball team for the 2007 World Summer Games in Shanghai, China. Let's hope Dwight is our lucky charm for a repeat!
Dwight Howard's newly launched D12 Foundation selected Special Olympics Florida as one of its charitable partners in February of 2011.
See video of Team USA receiving and trying out their new "Superbeast" shoes from Dwight
See photos
3-21-11
Miami Officer Selected for World Games Final Leg Team
Larry Andres of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will be the only Florida representative in the Global Law Enforcement Torch Run at the World Summer Games.
The Ceremony for the Lighting of the “Flame of Hope” for the Special Olympics World Summer Games was held at the Sacred Site of Pnyx, in the tradition and custom of the Lighting of the Flame for all Olympic Games.
The “Flame of Hope” will next be carried throughout the world and Europe by Special Olympics Athletes and law enforcement officers from aorund the globe, carrying with it the message of “Hope” for a better world, before returning to Athens, to the Opening Ceremony, to mark the official opening of the Special Olympics World Summer Games.
Larry has been a Special Agent with FDLE for the past 10 years, and has been participating in the Florida Torch Run for six years. As a volunteer, he handles a multi-county region of South Florida, coordinating the Torch Run in Dade County, and helping to coordinate the Torch Run and Torch Run fundraising events in the others.
See the Torch Larry will be carrying!
Congratulations Larry!
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