The first annual Special Olympics Caribbean Regional Bocce Tournament was a competition to remember for many in the community and the more than 40 athletes who participated.
The three-day event began with a torch run on Thursday, 23 May, which opened the ceremony for the tournament that concluded on Saturday at the Lions Centre.
While everyone who took part is considered a winner, Cayman’s athletes were amongst those who received multiple medals, including two gold.
Dr. Shari Smith, chairman of the bocce tournament organising committee, told the Compass that while the event had its rough patches during the planning stages, it proved to be worth it.
“Last night (Saturday) we had all of the athletes on stage with their medals and it was a very heartfelt and emotional moment because, despite frustrations and all the chaos that went into this… last night demonstrated why we do it,” Smith said.
Cayman, joined by athletes from 16 nations within the region and a US delegation, gave it their all in both singles and doubles play.
The Special Olympics competition, which caters to athletes with intellectual disabilities, was an important one for multiple reasons, according to Smith.
“It was fun, very competitive and a very exciting competition,” Smith said. “The athletes definitely performed at their best,” she said, noting that the event provided a sense of belongingness to the participants.
The three-day competition included bocce coaching and officiating certification courses. In addition, a Special Olympics Caribbean business meeting was held for the first time in over a decade.
Smith said the idea for the tournament has been floated for quite some time but now that the first one is done, she is looking forward to expanding the competition in the coming years.
“It’s vital for the programmes to come and see how it can be done and then next year they can start bidding as to who will be the host,” Smith said, though she acknowledged she had hoped for more members of the Cayman community to come out and fill the stands at the first bocce event.
Outside of that, she said, the tournament was an overall triumph.
“I think it was very successful,” she said. “We’ve had amazing volunteers and we have learned a lot of lessons. I’ve been told by the [Special Olympics Cayman Islands] national director Mr. Darrel Rankine, that we should be hosting something again in another couple of years.”
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