Special ambitions for William

Natalie Tims | 12th January 2010

Natalie Tims meets an Olympian with a chestful of medals and a heart full of hopes for more sporting success.

Two years and five medals later, Special Olympic swimmer William Macdonald has his sights set on the World Championships.

"Nothing too easy,'' is William's response when asked how hard it is to be a top-division Special Olympian.

But for William Macdonald, 16, this is just the way he likes it, proven with a five-medal win at last month's national Special Olympics held in Palmerston North.

A swimmer, William was one of a thousand competitors to enter the 2009 New Zealand Special Olympics held from December 3-5 in the Manawatu.

Representing 10 different sports, the Special Olympics is both a four-year event and a
year-round programme providing sports training for adults and children with intellectual
disabilities.

It is also responsible for priming some fine New Zealand athletes, such as William.

A steady training programme between Mt Roskill's Cameron Pool and the Trent Bray Swim School helped William to the podium for three gold medals, a silver medal and a bronze medal in top division heats for breaststroke, backstroke and freestyle.

The feeling of receiving five national medals? "Proud,'' he says.

"It makes all the hard work pay off.''

"William is a very, very good swimmer,'' says his swimming coach, Dennis Hayter.

A former North Piha lifeguard, Mr Hayter has been coaching Special Olympic swimming
programmes for 13 years.

"Although sometimes it seems like progress is two steps forward then one step back - you just have to be a little bit philosophical about what progress really is,'' he says.

"Our whole team came back with medals this year. It was really wonderful.''

The Auckland Grammar student looks forward to preparing for the next Special Olympics
in 2013, to be held in Dunedin. "Maybe even the World's [Special Olympics World Summer Games] in Athens in 2011.''

But for now, William is taking a well-deserved break before embarking on this year's new personal bests - and the sixth form.

For more info, see www.specialolympics.org.nz