Three Olympians return from Nagano
Three members of the Utah State University Special Olympics team returned from the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games with more than just medals.
“They have made everyone proud with their conduct – myself as their coach, their families, the Aggie Special Olympic Team, the state of Utah, and most importantly, their country,” said Dave Bregenzer, head coach of the Team USA cross-country ski team.
Bregenzer, who is also a professor in USU’s mathematics and statistics department, accompanied the athletes to Nagano, Japan to compete in the games.
Patrick Phillips, 27, and Mary Dawn Waite, 32, competed in cross-country skiing. Phillips earned gold in the 5K Race Classical and the 4-by-1 kilometer relay freestyle events.
“He was most excited about the relay win,” said Patrick’s father Dallin Phillips, who went with the team to Nagano. “I think it was because this one was a team effort.”
Patrick has been working with the Special Olympics program since he was 8 years old. He will continue to work with the Special Olympics for years to come, Dallin said.
“He just enjoys the whole experience,” he said.
Patrick’s reactions to the wins were worth every minute of training and expense.
“Patrick is usually pretty quiet and reserved, but he showed more emotion and joy than I have seen from him in the past five years,” Bregenzer said.
Sarah Wyatt, 15, traveled to Nagano to compete in snowshoeing. Wyatt, an honor roll student, has wanted to be an athlete in the winter Olympics since Salt Lake City hosted the games in 2002.
“I love people and this will give me the opportunity to meet and see more people and be an Olympian too,” states Wyatt in her online profile on the Team USA Web site.
Wyatt was awarded the Olympian status when she medaled in two events, earning gold in the 4-by- 100 meter relay and bronze in the 100 meter race.
The athletes left for Nagano on Feb. 20 and returned to Salt Lake City on March 7. Bregenzer said the time spent in Nagano could only be described as “16 days of non-stop excitement.”
Special Olympics Team USA consists of 200 athletes and 50 coaches representing each of the 50 states, according to the Team USA Web site.
This is the eighth year these winter Olympics have taken place, bringing together more than 80 countries to compete. The games are held every four years.
Being selected for the Games is the “highest achievement” for a special Olympic athlete, Bregenzer said.
The athletes competed in world-class facilities, some of which were used in the 1998 Nagano Olympic games.
While the athletes were successful in competition, Bregenzer said the athletes were even more successful in representing USU and in working hard toward success.
“They competed hard, to the best of their ability, and whether they finished first or last, they showed respect for their competitors and always displayed good sportsmanship,” Bregenzer said. “It was an honor and a pleasure to be their coach.”
-kjleslie@cc.usu.edu