Medal joy for Lines (From Redditch Advertiser)

Medal joy for Lines

9:14am Wednesday 13th February 2013 in Sport

CLARE Lines bagged a tremendous bronze double at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in South Korea.

The 29-year-old from Redditch recorded impressive third places in the Super-G and Giant Slalom events.

The Riverside resident was part of a successful seven-strong Great British team, which bagged 13 medals in total, including six gold, four silver and three bronze.

Father Alan Lines said: “We are so proud of Clare.

“We’re all skiing mad so it’s really special she has won two bronze medals at a World Games.

“For her it is the pinnacle and going to be very hard to top.”

Lines, who is a member of Special Olympics Worcestershire and the West Midlands Ski team, trains at Ackers dry ski slope but she was tackling much larger courses in Pyeong Chang than the 100 metres she practises on in Birmingham.

Britain excelled in South Korea as Elizabeth Allen won two gold and silver, while there was double gold for Jane Andrews.

Lines had qualified for the squad after success at the National Alpine Ski Championships in Pila, Italy, last year.

She won gold in the intermediate slalom and bronze in the intermediate giant slalom, which was enough to earn her the spot.

Over 100 nations participated in the event in South Korea, with 2,800 athletes with intellectual disabilities taking part.

Special Olympics GB CEO Karen Wallin said: “I would like to thank our seven skiers for representing Great Britain in South Korea at the World Winter Games with such fantastic pride, passion and honour.

“This is a fantastic number of medals and each one of our skiers performed at their very own personal best.”