Latest News, State news, releases and Information, WVPA Sharing

‘This was like nothing I have ever experienced,’ Preston’s Special Olympians bring back memories and medals from World Games

Photo courtesy of Karen Bultiauw, Belgium Brandon Wilt, right, is with David Bultiauw, left, of Belguim after the Men's Shot-Put awards. Brandon won sixth place during the 2015 Special Olympic World Games in Los Angeles as a representative of Team USA, West Virginia and Preston County.
Photo courtesy of Karen Bultiauw, Belgium
Brandon Wilt, right, is with David Bultiauw, left, of Belguim after the Men’s Shot-Put awards. Brandon won sixth place during the 2015 Special Olympic World Games in Los Angeles as a representative of Team USA, West Virginia and Preston County.

By Theresa Marthey
Preston County News & Journal

KINGWOOD, W.Va. — Most people will never know the dream of being able to walk into a stadium in the opening ceremonies of the Olympics while thousands of people chant U-S-A. But for Preston County athletes, that dream became an amazing reality.

Brandon Wilt of Brandonville and Chelsea Lansberry of Fellowsville represented Team USA in the Special Olympic World Games in Los Angeles, California, from July 25 through August 2. Both agreed walking into the stadium during the opening ceremonies was overwhelming.

“Some people on the team were crying,” Lansberry said. “This was like nothing I have ever experienced.”

“It was loud,” Wilt said. “It was the most important day of my life, and someday in the future I will tell my nephews about it when they get older.”

Lansberry won a gold medal for team bowling, a silver in singles bowling and seventh place in doubles bowling.

Submitted photo Chelsea Lansberry at the Team USA Training in Indianapolis leading up to the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles. Lansberry won a gold medal, silver medal and a seventh place finish in bowling during the games.
Submitted photo
Chelsea Lansberry at the Team USA Training in Indianapolis leading up to the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles. Lansberry won a gold medal, silver medal and a seventh place finish in bowling during the games.

“I knew my nana was watching over me when I won my gold (medal),” Lansberry said. “She is the reason I went to the games. I didn’t want to, but she told me to go.”

“Winning my gold medal,” Lansberry added. “I will never forget that. I shine it every night.”

Wilt came home with three sixth place finishes in his track and field events of shot-put, the 100-meter race and the 4×100 meter relay.

Both made friends they are not likely to forget and have plans to keep in touch.

“Meeting new people from other countries was cool,” Wilt said. “There were a lot that spoke English, but a lot didn’t. I did get some Malaysian money I brought home, and I have addresses from Team USA friends.”

Lansberry became good friends with a teammate from Louisiana, and they communicate back and forth a lot now. They both have the same types of special needs, and that is one reason why they are good friends.

“Her name is Courtney, we are like sisters now,” Lansberry said. “Both of us are 16 and part of the bowling team, but we have a lot in common. I am planning a trip to see her.”

Submitted photo Chelsea Lansberry, left, and Brandon Wilt run with the Special Olympics Relay Torch in Charleston.
Submitted photo
Chelsea Lansberry, left, and Brandon Wilt run with the Special Olympics Relay Torch in Charleston.

Both athletes were excited to get back home to get a good home cooked meal.

“The food was really bad there was no flavor,” Lansberry said. “Rice was served with everything, and that was okay, but it was white plain rice.”

“There is nothing like a home-cooked meal from Preston County,” Lansberry continued. “We have good food.”

“The pizza was really awesome,” said Wilt. “I liked that a lot.

Angela Wilt, co-founder of the Preston County Special Olympics and Brandon’s mother, who attended the Olympics with Lansberry family, said the World Game had to cook for 4,500 athletes plus coaches and there were special diets that also had to be taken into consideration when preparing all the food.

“But I will admit, it was bland,” Angela said. “One night, they had family night, and we were able to choose between a vegetarian or Mexican meal. I choose the Mexican chicken wrap, and it was not as spicy as I am use to.”

Angela said the athletes were well taken care of during the games with interaction between the different delegations as well as health wise.

“There were translators for the athletes,” Angela said. “Along with the Healthy Athletes program that provided hearing tests, dental exams and vision exams to the athletes to name a few.”

“It was a really incredible experience for the parents also,” Angela said.

Staff photo by Theresa Marthey Brandon Wilt, left, and Chelsea Lansberry, right, pose with their 2015 Special Olympics World Games medals and enjoying their time back home.
Staff photo by Theresa Marthey
Brandon Wilt, left, and Chelsea Lansberry, right, pose with their 2015 Special Olympics World Games medals and enjoying their time back home.

Brandon and Chelsea said they will remember the Olympics forever, but the one thing they will remember above all else weren’t connected the games at all.

“The three-story Walmart that has a moving stair to take your cart to the next floor,” Brandon said. “That was the coolest.”

The Special Olympics help individuals with intellectual disabilities overcome barriers through sports beginning at age 8. The group was started in the 1950s and 1960s by Eunice Kennedy Shriver when she noticed how unfairly people with disabilities were treated. Her vision of places to play and summer day camps for these young people to learn what they can do grew into the Special Olympics.

Comments are closed.

West Virginia Press Newspaper Network " "

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

And get our latest content in your inbox

Invalid email address