More than sport as true spirit displayed

ATHLETICS: Not since Herb Elliott set his world mile record back in 1958 has the Morton Stadium in Santry witnessed so much activity, nor as much commotion. The opening day of the athletics competition of the Special Olympics and straight away there is the sort of wild, hysterical celebration of what the games are about.

Every colour of every nation. Every level of ability. From every small step to every giant leap. And a bronze medal for the Irish. Everything is celebrated.

From mid-morning the running track had become the centre of this ceaseless activity. Down the finishing straight pass athletes in all the various levels of motion, and all getting the same rousing reception. It's well after 7 p.m. before things start coming to a halt.

There are hundreds of faces passing and they all have their own story to tell. Each one striving to reach their limits. Together though they all find meaning in the sport that is often seen as an absurd pastime upon which to exhaust ourselves.

And to find meaning in the kind of running it takes to be competitive, then perhaps too they can find meaning in another often absurd pastime, the one called life. That was the sense of purpose about yesterday, that the celebration was far more than just sport.

During the afternoon Mohammed Ali and Seve Ballesteros popped in for a word of support, and Bertie Ahern was also on hand to present some of the medals. And while yesterday was mostly about the preliminary rounds, there were some tears too as gold, silver and bronze were decided.

The first medal of the day was awarded to the division one winner of the men's 10,000 metres. Eventually. Shelboy Pitsi of South Africa took the gold but at first was handed the silver. So they did the entire ceremony again to get it right. A minor blip.

Later came the awards for the division three 10,000 metres - the first four of them being Kenyan. Leading them home was Elind Nyambati Ogari in 35 minutes 20.23 seconds. So no surprises there. The women's event was won by the American Cynthia Coffin, and no surprise there either considering the size of their team.

Such is the turnover of champions that three separate medal podiums are erected in the corner of the stadium. And it's not just medals that are awarded. Fourth to sixth also get ribbons and they clearly mean as much.

The Irish team are soon in action. One of the first on to the track in Josie Lambert from Mayo, and at 65, the oldest of the 20 members of the Irish athletics team. Having just retired she's spending more time than ever in the gym, and is still looking to improve her best in the event, the 100 metre walk.

Then there was Lisa McNabb, also known as the face of the games, in the 400 metres walk. Her spirit spreads like wildfire as she covers the track and her best event, the shot put, is still to come.

The preliminaries of the 400 metres are another of the main events of the day and Michael Mullins, a fluent Irish speaker from Galway, takes third in his division.

Head Irish athletics coach Phyllis Galliland is well content with their start, but the day won't end without that first medal. The honour went to Sammy-Jo Sweeney from Cookstown in Tyrone, who claimed the bronze medal in her section of the 50 metres final. She too has a couple more events to come. Sarah Hughes from Nenagh also took a fourth place ribbon in her division of the sprint.