Source: The Guardian Trinidad
Fourteen-year-old Shaddai Simon copped Special Olympics T&T’s (SOTT) first ever gold medal when she won the B1-5 division of equestrian dressage atop Esmeralda at the Special Olympics World Summer Games at the Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre in Athens, Greece yesterday. She was one of the three T&T riders to medal in equestrian yesterday. SOTT missed a double medal placing in the B1- 6 division where Christel Perkins copped the silver medal riding Signal. However, Chantel Julien, who was leading at the time, was disqualified for stepping out of bounds aboard Copona in the same event. Judy Ann James won a bronze medal atop Dancing in the C1-5 division to give T&T its third medal.
In addition, Gisselle Benjamin placed fourth in the B1- 3 division while Shaquella Rapier placed fifth in the C1- division. SOTT basketball was defeated 37-17 by Greece despite a valiant effort against the host. Nikolai Lalla touched the wall first in the 25m breast stroke but was disqualified for a stroke violation. Today, Anya Adams will return to the pool for the 50m freestyle and Curt Clarke goes in the 25m backstroke. SOTT Football will begin competition in the seven-a-side competition at the Agios Kosmas Sports Centre on Wednesday against South Africa. SOTT has been grouped with Brazil, South Africa, Latvia and Poland. In Group action yesterday, Brazil defeated South Africa 3-0 while Latvia beat Poland 4-3.