Twenty-two-year-old Kadian Ingleton, a double gold and double silver medallist at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China, placed second at the 10th Annual Butterfield 800m Open Water Swim on Saturday in the Cayman Islands.

Competing in the aged 20-29 category with 100 swimmers, some regular and some with special needs, Ingleton clocked 17 minutes 35 seconds.

Though the race was open to all swimmers, this year was the first time that Special Olympics athletes from across the Caribbean entered.

Special Olympics Jamaica Aquatics director Gabriel Heron noted that a certification workshop for Special Olympics swimming coaches was also held.

“Jamaica attended the workshop with the intention of barring best practices and to assist with the development of Open Water Swimming as a Special Olympics event within the Caribbean and across the globe,” Heron pointed out.

Special Olympics athletes from Barbados, Curacao, Cayman Islands as well as Virginia, United States took part in the swim event.

Ingleton displayed great spirit in her first open water swim where 30 metres from the finish line and “in a burst of speed” she sprinted past three regular swimmers to finish 53rd overall from 100 competitors, added Heron.
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