Special Olympics Inspired The World
By Harvey MacKay
First lady Michelle Obama has had the pleasure of attending many spectacular events, but I would venture to guess that opening the 14th Special Olympics World Games at the end of July had to rank with the most inspirational.
It wasn’t because of the musical performances, fireworks, or even the flaming torch that was carried from Greece. It was all about the athletes.
Almost 50 years after Eunice Kennedy Shriver decided to take her backyard competitions to an international level, the games were the largest gathering of athletes in Los Angeles since the 1984 Summer Olympics.
The first Special Olympics were held in 1968 in Chicago, with about 1,000 athletes and about 100 people in the stands. For the Los Angeles event, nearly 7,000 athletes representing 177 countries participated in tennis, soccer, swimming, equestrian events, weightlifting and even a triathlon, to name a few. Competition is open to athletes 8 years and older who have intellectual disabilities that result in limitations in cognitive functions or other skills. To qualify for the world games, athletes must compete in sanctioned regional competitions.
Los Angeles World Games president and CEO Pat McClenahan, himself an Emmy-award-winning sports producer, understands how the power of television could bring the group’s message and mission to a world audience. He found a willing partner in ESPN. “This was an unprecedented TV deal that was all about finding a broadcast partner who understood the goal – get the stories of these athletes in front of as many eyeballs as possible,” he said at a press event. “And once people see the courage and determination and joy, they’re all inspired.”
I hope you had the opportunity to watch the nightly highlight reels. They showed sports in their purest form.
Kate Jackson, the head of production for daily shows at ESPN, hired Dustin Plunkett, a four-time Special Olympics World Games athlete, as a reporter for the games. His job description was later upgraded to analyst. read on…