Jan23

Written by:
23/01/2013 12:16 

Hi, we are Joanne, Lindsay and Lucy Best and we live on a farm in Lower Ballinderry, Co. Antrim. Lucy is off to participate in the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games in South Korea in three days’ time.

Lucy is a very strong-willed, determined person with an extremely outgoing personality. Lucy is the second oldest of four children: she has a big sister Caroline (23), a younger brother Jack (19) and a younger sister Pippa (16).

We live 15 minutes away from the dry ski slope at Craigavon where Lucy used to watch her siblings learn to ski with their school. One of the parents then told us of a club called Ski-Ability N.I. where Lucy could also learn to ski. So at the age of 10 she joined up and eleven years later is still going strong and has rarely missed a night’s training since!

Lucy's ski-club became affiliated to Special Olympics Ireland two years ago, which gave her the chance to compete for the first time. At the 2011 Special Olympics Ulster Winter Games held at Craigavon, Lucy won two silver medals in her first ever competition! 

In April 2012, the Special Olympics Ireland Winter Games were held in Kilternan, Dublin at which Ulster and Eastern Region athletes came together and had a wonderful day competing in Giant Slalom and Slalom races. Lucy was in great form and won two gold medals. She was competing against men and boys – there were no other girls in her group as it happened – so we were exceptionally proud.

At the end of the day’s competition there was a medal ceremony. This was Lucy’s special moment and we were so proud.As parents we had watched our other children win sport awards but never Lucy. It was one of the best days of our and Lucy's lives and we were on a high for days afterwards!

When the Team Ireland selection for South Korea was made a few weeks later and Lucy was one of six athletes chosen (three from Ulster and three from Eastern Region), we were elated. "You're joking!" was Lucy’s reaction when she learned of her selection.

As a result of being part of Team Ireland Lucy has tried to get herself fitter. Once we knew about South Korea, the training was stepped up. Lucy started to ski two to three times a week in addition to attending training sessions with her fellow athletes in Dublin. She took on more swimming, sometimes swimming 20 lengths after her day in college. Lucy also loves cycling and last August we entered an event called "Lap the Lough" – an 85 mile cycle around Lough Neagh – as a family for the first time. Lucy’s determination and desire to succeed amazed us and after nine hours we finished. The next day her dad felt like he was still attached to the saddle but it never fizzed on LUCY!

As you can see Lucy has put in a lot of effort into her fitness, training and skiing. Three days to go and Lucy is very excited yet also extremely anxious as she is eager to do her best.

Whatever the outcome in South Korea, we know Lucy will enjoy competing against athletes from other countries and delight in the whole experience.