Local skater in Calgary for Special Olympics

The excitement is mounting for local 15-year-old skater Breanna Williams, as she is set to compete in her first Special Olympics Canada Winter Games (SOCWG), on now until March 2 in Calgary. 

Williams trains with the Leamington Skating Club and is the only skater from Essex County to qualify for the 2024 National Special Olympic Games after medalling in a series of provincial skating competitions. 

She was out for a final practice session Sunday afternoon, February 25, on the Unico rink at the Nature Fresh Farms Recreation Centre in Leamington before she left for Calgary on Monday. 

She could barely contain her excitement as she warmed up and performed a run-through of her routine to Austin Powers. 

“I am just excited to be there,” said a smiling Williams as she took a brief break at the boards. 

She said she started skating when she was only four-and-a-half and has loved it ever since. 

Breanna said skating has allowed her to meet many new friends while chasing her Olympic dreams of winning gold. 

Coach Laurie Horne-Klassen said that if she represents well in Calgary she could go on to the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Torino, Italy, in 2025. 

Horne-Klassen also commented that there had been a lot of community support and fundraising involved, which has aided in the cost of the trip to Calgary.

Breanna is supported by the John McGivney Children’s Centre in Windsor, where she is a long-time client. 

“We have watched Breanna grow from a little girl into the remarkably determined and talented young woman she is today,” says Jennifer Jovanovski, CEO, John McGivney Children’s Centre. “Breanna continues to set goals for herself that many of us could only dream of. She works extremely hard to rise above any obstacles that stand in the way of achieving her goals. We are so thrilled for Breanna and will be cheering her on!” 

More than 1,250 athletes and coaches will be in Calgary for the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games, which can be live-streamed from the national website at specialolympics.ca. 

The SOCWG includes eight sports: floor hockey, alpine skiing, 5-pin bowling, figure skating, speed skating and curling.

Breanna will compete in the figure skating scheduled for Thursday between 3:35 and 3:55 pm (Mountain Time) and again on Friday at 6:45 pm (Mountain Time) for her Freeskate.