Tamilnadu Athletes Chandrabose bags One Gold medal in Roller in Special Olympics-2011 held in Athens.

Trichy: 30^th June 2011: Shri. J. Paul Devasagayam, Area Director,   SOB – TAMILNADU reports from Athens that Trichy intellectually challenged Athletes Chandrabose Got One Gold and One Silver in Roller Skating,   Archana Got One silver in Cycling and All Other Athletes are in Medal Rounds. Shri. J. Paul Devasagayam also reports that Indian team is doing well in Special Olympics being held in Athens. Shri. J. Paul Devasagayam added that Greek President Karolos Papoulias officially declared open the Athens 2011 World Summer Special Olympics on Saturday evening in a spectacular ceremony staged at the Panathinaikon Stadium, the venue of the first modern 1896 Olympic Games. Approximately 7,500 Special Olympics athletes from 183 countries, including 137 Chinese, participate in the Games that will run to July 4 in a string of 30 venues across Athens. They will compete in 22 sports, sending the world the message that persons with mental disabilities can become valuable members of the international community. The three-hour ceremony won high remarks for a spectacular display of fireworks and the simplicity of music and dance performances inspired by ancient Greek mythology and culture. They were matched with moving performances by internationally famed artists such as American singer, songwriter, musician and producer Stevie Wonder. The ceremony started with a music performance of volunteers and Special Olympic athletes using ancient Greek type clay urns as musical instruments. At the end of the performance they threw them down to the ground "back inside the arms of mother earth" in a symbolic representation of breaking down the walls of prejudice against intellectually disabled. Special Olympics Chairman Timothy Shriver and Greek Special Olympics Organizing Committee President Joanna Despotopoulou addressed the event, welcoming the world to "a celebration of human strength at the birthplace of the Olympic Games. Approximately 40,000 family members, over 2,300 coaches and 25, 000 volunteers stand by their side, while around 3,000 journalists from across the world record the feats of the athletes who represent four million people with intellectual disabilities across the globe”. Trichy Special Olympic team convey their best wishes to Trichy team and also the entire Indian team to bag maximum medals for India. Dr.K.Govindaraju, Chairman, Special Olympic said “It is significant that seven Athletes from Trichy participate in the Special Olympic, Partly sponsored by Trichy District Welfare committee”. -Govin