Jackson wins softball gold for SOTT

TOBAGO’S Sapphire Jackson was among the top podium finishers, while team-mates Israel Duncan and La Toya Charles won their second gold medals as precious metal continued to mount for Special Olympics TT (SOTT) at the Special Olympics International 2019 World Games in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Yesterday, SOTT earned three more gold, four silver and four bronze medals, with an additional three fourth place finishes, boosting their already impressive tally to ten gold, nine silver and six bronze medals.

At Police Club Stadium, Jackson won her gold in the softball throw– an adaption of shot put – throwing 7.83m, ahead of Qatar’s silver medallist, Bakhita Azab’s 7.48m effort.

Duncan, meanwhile, secured another gold for himself and SOTT in the softball throw with a mammoth 23.89 m toss, ahead of Aruba (23.44m) and Jamaica (21.57m).

SOTT’s “Sprint Queen”, Charles, won a second gold in as many days, adding the 100m sprint title to the 200m she won the previous day. Chalres finished in 14.99 seconds, well ahead of Khiry Thompson of SO United States (15.57 seconds) and Aysha Isa Alsubei of SO Bahrain (15.60 seconds).

Tershana Tempro took silver in her 100m sprint, clocking 16.29 seconds, just behind Sanatou Diarra of SO Mali who took the gold in 16.16 seconds

Donald Doyle placed sixth in the 400m in a time of one minute, 6.20 seconds.

In swimming, Donavon Garib and SOTT picked up a bronze in the 50m butterfly, finishing in 36.74 seconds, while Stefan Singh found himself back on the podium, winning silver in the 1,500m open water swim in a repeat of the Special Olympics 2015 World Games in Los Angeles, California, where he also won silver in the same event.

Unfortunately, Shania Surujbally, who has been battling the flu since her arrival at the games was unable to complete her race and was withdrawn from the pool. Surujbally tried valiantly but succumbed to the effects of the flu and had to be taken out of the water just short of the finish.

In bocce, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Alicia Khan earned her second silver medal in the singles competition, losing only Jing Wu 6:11 of China in the final, while Bernard Singh was upgraded to bronze, after SOTT filed and won a protest over an officiating decision.

Meanwhile, at the Al Forsan International Sports Resort, SOTT’s men and women’s teams continued to impress with the trio of Aaliyah Harrigin, Jamella Bart and Kellie Simmons, placing fourth in the English Equitation – a discipline which focuses on a rider’s position when mounted.

In the men’s English Equitation competition, Omari Petterson took silver with 38 points, ahead of SOTT teammate Aaron Ben Ali, who settled for bronze with 36 points

Romaldo Stafford won his first medal when he earned 39 points to claim a bronze medal in his division.

SOTT’s full medal count, includes nine in athletics (six gold, one silver, two bronze); four in bocce (three silver, one bronze), seven in equestrian (two gold, two silver and three bronze); and six in swimming (two gold, three silver, one bronze).

SOTT will vie for more medals in the various sports, including powerlifting, which begins today.