A tennis player who won gold at the Special Olympics has said there needs to be more sport sessions for people with intellectual disabilities.
The BBC reported that Adam Brownsword, from Folkestone in Kent, said targeted sessions could remove barriers to sport and change people’s lives.
Adam told the BBC there was a lack of sporting clubs and opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities, alongside awareness about the issue itself.
Adam, who was diagnosed with autism and ADHD as a child, won a gold medal in the mixed doubles tennis at last year’s Special Olympics World Games in Berlin.
He said the contest was the best two weeks of his life, adding: “It was amazing. I’ve never felt anything like it.”
The BBC reported that Adam has been playing tennis for 12 years and is assistant coach at Canterbury Tennis Club. He told reporters that sport had made him more sociable and helped his focus.
He said: “It is something to look forward to.”
The BBC said Adam was recently appointed to the Special Olympics GB Athlete Leadership Team, who represent fellow athletes and act as sports ambassadors. He said he wanted to use his position to help create more groups locally and show “how those of us with an intellectual disability can overcome barriers and follow our dreams”.
He added: “Not many people are aware about the Special Olympics in this country.”
