Homer’s Special Olympians bring home the hardware

• Local athletes shine in ski and snowshoe events — as well as sportsmanship

By Sean Pearson
Homer Tribune
Special Olympians from Homer gathered in Anchorage over the weekend to take part in the 2010 Special Olympics Alaska Winter Games. According to organizers, the event drew nearly 500 athletes, coaches and volunteers to Anchorage to take part in the annual games. Athletes from Anchorage, Homer, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Mat-Su Valley, Seward and Valdez represented at the games, with Homer taking 10 athletes up for competition.
Nicholas Kvasnikoff, Kinna Ledger and Krissy Norton led the way for Homer in the long-distance snowshoe events, while Jolene Clark, Eddie Escalara, Robbie Reeves and Larry Bonfiglio brought home gold, silver and bronze in the snowshoe sprint events.
Dennis Dailey, Shaunti Johnson and Amber Loop also brought home some hardware for the Homer team, taking all first and second places in a variety of cross-country ski events.
The Special Olympics Winter Games are one of four major Special Olympics Alaska events held throughout the year. Summer games are scheduled in June, fall games in September and a bowling tournament in November.
Special Olympics Inc. is a global organization that has provided sports training and competition to people with intellectual disabilities since 1968. In Alaska, Special Olympics serves more than 1,500 athletes in nearly two dozen communities around the state through local community training programs. Athletes attending the games have qualified by training for several months and participating in local community games.

Special Olympics Alaska Winter Games

Homer Results

25-meter Snowshoe
1. Jolene Clark, 20.90 seconds

50m Snowshoe
1. Eddie Escalara, 28.60; 2. Robert Reeves; 3. Jolene Clark, 42.70; 3. Larry Bonfiglio, 15.50;

100m Snowshoe
3. Robert Reeves, 29.90; (M5) 3. Eddy Escalara, 59.10 (M3); 5. Jolene Clark, 1:30.50 (F2); 6. Larry Bonfiglio, 51.60 (M3).

200m Snowshoe
1. Kinna Ledger, 1:34.10 (F4); 1. Krissy Norton, 58.60 (F2); 2. Robert Reeves, 1:06.90 (M4); 3. Larry Bonfiglio, 1:57.60 (M4).

400, Snowshoe
1. Nicholas Kvasnikoff, 1:45.10 (M2); 1. Krissy Norton, 2:53.60 (F1); 3. Kinna Ledger, 4:40.70 (F2).

800m Snowshoe
1. Nicholas Kvasnikoff, 4:00 (M2); 1. Krissy Norton, 7:00 (F1); 1. Kinna Ledger, 10:11.30 (F2)

Cross-Country Ski
50m
1. Dennis Dailey, :33.70 (M1)

100m
2. Amber Loop, :41.20 (F2); 2. Dennis Dailey, 1:13.80, (M1)

500m
1. Amber Loop, 4:09.50; (F3) 2. Shaunti Johnson, 4:49.30 (F3)

1k
1. Shaunti Johnson, 10:14.10 (F3)

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