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Home / New Zealand

2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games: 55yo brings home gold and two bronze medals

By William Sangster
Bay of Plenty Times·
26 Jun, 2023 07:24 AM2 mins to read

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Len Just with his gold medal for the men’s singles competition.

Len Just with his gold medal for the men’s singles competition.

A Tauranga Special Olympian is bringing a gold and two bronze medals back from the World Summer Games in Berlin.

Len Just won the gold medal in tenpin bowling in the men’s singles competition on Saturday.

The Special Olympics is the world’s largest inclusive event for people with intellectual disabilities.

More than 7000 athletes gathered in Berlin to compete in 26 sports, supported by 20,000 volunteers and about 300,000 fans.

Just was competing with 38 other athletes in the New Zealand contingent, and is the oldest at 55 years old.

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In the gold-medal match, Just went into the lead with two high-scoring frames of 160 and 191, and barely maintained it with a lower score of 117 in the final frame.

Earlier, he won bronze medals in the team event and the men’s doubles competition, adding to his impressive haul.

Caroline Tangitau, a powerlifter from Katikati, also contributed to Bay of Plenty’s success by winning four silver medals in the games.

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And Tauranga athlete Hayley Little also completed the long jump in her first Special Olympics.

Len Just on the podium in Berlin receiving his gold medal.
Len Just on the podium in Berlin receiving his gold medal.

Overall, the New Zealanders have won 34 medals, surpassing the record set at the Abu Dhabi Special Olympics World Summer Games four years ago.

Head of the delegation Rowena Massey said the games were an experience for the athletes.

“You just feel that these World Summer Games are next level.

“Special Olympics athletes in New Zealand train and compete out of the spotlight ... so they all love the attention here and being treated like the stars they are.”

The World Summer Games wrapped up on Sunday night with a closing ceremony at the Brandenburg Gate.

The New Zealand team fly home with their record medal haul later this week.

William Sangster is a Te Rito Journalism Cadet.

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