Special Olympics athletes push to the limit

Amie Gifkins. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Good one ... Amie Gifkins celebrates a successful shotput on the way to a heat-winning performance at the Special Olympics national summer games yesterday.

The Manawatu 19-year-old is competing in four events at the games - the shotput (using a softball), the 50m and 100m sprints and the relay.

More than 1000 athletes and their support crews are in Palmerston North for the games, braving chilly winds and rain.

Competition has been fierce, but there has been no shortage of smiles and hugs at the finish line.

Games director Sue Kysow said Wednesday night's opening ceremony and the start of competition yesterday had run "absolutely fantastically".

She praised the hundreds of volunteers who are helping to run the games.

"On your first day of a competition with nearly 1500 athletes and coaches it's not always going to go smoothly, but the people here have done a magnificent job."

Ms Kysow said the games were always a happy occasion, but she was saddened that the recession meant numbers at this year's event were down on organisers' expectations.

Other countries from the Asia Pacific rim had attended previous games, but funding worries meant they were not invited to the Palmerston North event.

"Once a team arrives, we are responsible for all of their costs and in the financial times we are all in, we have all come to the same conclusions," said Ms Kysow.

"Our focus is now on our New Zealand athletes and Greece [the World Special Olympics] next year."

The games are held every four years for people with intellectual disabilities. They finish tomorrow.