News

Opportunities for people with a disability

June 17, 2011

Supported employees gear up for Special Olympics in Greece

     

Three Endeavour Foundation supported employees are gearing up for Olympic stardom at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Greece next week.

Owen Nicolson, from Endeavour Foundation Industries Mt Druitt in Sydney, Nicole Groth from the Northgate service in Brisbane and Jim Aarsse from Maroochydore, Sunshine Coast, will represent Australia at the Games, to be held in Athens from June 25 to July 4.

The trio are part of the 131-member Australian team which will head off on Saturday, June 18, to compete against squads from 185 countries during the 10-day event.

Owen will represent the country in football (soccer), Nicole in the 400m and 800m walk and the shot-put, and Jim in 100m and 200m sprints and the shot put. 

While Nicole, 36, and Owen, 22, have previously represented Australia in sport, this year is 27-year-old Jim’s first time wearing the green and gold – a dream come true for him – and will see him follow in older brother Leon’s footsteps. Leon, 30, has represented Australia in athletics but this year he will join his mother Liffy on the sidelines in Greece to cheer Jim on.

“I hope to come back with a medal, or at least to do my best performance,” Jim said.

Jim, Owen and Nicole’s selection for the Australian team follows their success at the national Special Olympics Games 2010 in Adelaide last year. Jim won gold in shot put, silver in the 200m and 4x100m, and a bronze in the 100m event, while Nicole won gold in the 400m and 800m walks, silver in the shot put and 4x100m relay. Owen’s outstanding performance in the New South Wales football side helped the team to place third overall in the national competition.

Owen, Jim and Nicole are very proud of being selected to wear the green and gold, and are looking forward to seeing Greece.

Owen said “it will be good to see a new country and meet new people” while Nicole said she “can’t wait to try the different types of food”.

Staff and colleagues at the Endeavour Foundation Industries services have helped raise thousands of dollars for the trip, including having head shaves to fundraise.

Endeavour Foundation commends the achievements of these valued supported employees and wishes them well in Greece.

Endeavour Foundation Industries provides supported employment opportunities for more than 2,000 people with a disability across Queensland and in Sydney.

Contact:

Jo Glover

Media and Communications Officer

Phone: (07) 3908 7257, 0429 065 440

Fax: (07) 3253 7271

Email: j.glover@endeavour.com.au

 

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