Special athletes vie in 2-day bowl

MANILA, Philippines - A two-day Special Olympics tenpin bowling national games rolls off Aug. 23-24 at the Coronado Mall Bowling Ceter in Mandaluyong.

A total of 80 athletes from seven chapters of Special Olympics Philippines will compete as part of their buildup for the 13th World Special Olympic Games in Athens, Greece June 24-July 4, 2011.

Lawyer Isagani Zulueta, chairman of the Organizing Committee tasked to supervise the games, said the participating chapters are Bacolod, Baguio, Calabarzon, Iloilo, Mati-Davao, NCR-North and NCR South.

Special Olympics Philippines is headed by Maria Teresa Macapagal as president and Alex Babst as national sports director. It is the country program of Special Olympics International, the biggest worldwide sports organization for persons with intellectual disabilities and founded in 1968 by the late Mrs. Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

 Zulueta said the event will be highlighted by a unique three-game event which will feature special athletes teaming up with able-bodied participants from sponsors Mattel and Coca-Cola and will be used to determine the classification of the players. Puyat Sports is co-sponsoring the event.

Other events are doubles and singles competitions.