'The time of their life': Olympic medallist from Thunder Bay urges city to support 2020 Special Olympics Games

An Olympic medallist in cycling returned to his hometown Tuesday to encourage everyone in Thunder Bay to support the 2020 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games, which the northwestern Ontario city is hosting in February.

Curt Harnett, who raced in four Olympics and won a silver and two bronze medals, was the guest speaker at a fundraising breakfast for the national sporting event, noting that his three-decade involvement with the Special Olympics helped him in his own competitive career.

"The biggest lesson I got out of it was how powerful sports is in transforming people's lives," he said. "This is not unique to Special Olympics but ultimately it's never more evident than with Special Olympics.

'Sport inspires us to be better people' 

"The confidence, the responsibility, the capabilities, the capacities that sport provides to these athletes and very rarely do you come across a Special Olympic athletes who isn't having the time of their life and it's a lesson for all of us, with these values they embrace more so than anybody, maybe we could look at life at little bit brighter and the opportunities it presents us," Harnett said.

Alpine skier Carson Smith, a Grade 12 student at St. Ignatius High School in Thunder Bay, was one of the Special Olympics athletes who identified with Harnett's message that "sport inspires us to be better people and help us live a healthy lifestyle and how it can change lives."

The fundraising breakfast was organized by Special Olympics ambassadors, one of whom is Roberta Hannusch.

She said the role of the ambassadors is to promote the games and raise awareness about Special Olympics in the community.

'Keep on running, don't look behind you'

Hannusch, who competed in the 2016 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games when they were held in Corner Brook, Nfld., is now encouraging her sister Gabby, who will be racing the 400-metre and 200-metre snowshoe events.

"Keep on running, don't look behind you and run right through the finish, pretend someone is chasing you," she said.

The vice chair of the organizing committee for the games in Thunder Bay is encouraging people in the city to show their support by drafting athlete.

Draft an athlete, cheer them on during games

It's an innovative way to cover the cost of the national sporting event, said Julie Tilbury, who explained they are looking for groups or individuals to contribute $500 to adopt a competitor, who may be coming from anywhere in the country.

"You will be connected with one of the athletes that are coming to our games. You'll get their itinerary and the hope is that you can go and cheer them on at the event, but the reality of this grassroots fundraiser is that all the money that's donated through this program goes equally to each and every athlete here because we want to level the playing field and be able to support them."

However people don't have to donate the full $500, said Tilbury, noting donations of any amount are welcome and will be added to the community draft team.

As well, due to an overwhelming response, the volunteer portal has been temporarily closed, while organizers figure out how and where to assign people. Tilbury anticipates putting out another call for volunteers in the near future.