The countdown to competition has begun, as 108 Canadian Special Olympics athletes, plus 35 mission staff and coaches, prepare for the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria March 14th-25th.

Part of that team will be 7 athletes and 3 coaches from our province, including two athletes from Southern Manitoba. Snowshoers Chrissy Peters of Morden and Valerie Delorme of Altona, and Coach Sabrina Klassen from Winkler.

Valerie was our guest today, and spoke with Morning Show Co-Host Chris Sumner.

 

 

Chris also asked Valerie to talk about what she's most looking forward to.

 

 

And what will be Valier's edge in Austria as she competes in snowshoeing? Her training and how prepared she will be.

 

 

In addition to athletes Valerie and Chrissy and Coach Sabrina, the following from Manitoba are also heading to Austria: Athletes Adam Lloyd, Elijah Ilag, Michael Milani, and Elijah Wood from Winnipeg; and Darren Boryskavich, from Russell and Coaches Joanne Zahaiko and Ron Struch of Winnipeg.

Team Canada, the third largest team at the Games, will compete in six different sports, including: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, floor hockey, snowshoeing and speed skating.

The World Games will bring together 3,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities, and 1,100 coaches from as many as 110 countries.