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Ben Sweeney

Kirklees swimmers Joanne & Ben at the DSISO Championships

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Team GB arrived in Loano, Italy, late last week for the World Down Syndrome Swimming Championships. Two Borough of Kirklees swimmers Joanne Kempley and Ben Sweeney are taking part in the competitions. (Pictured left along with coach Gemma Ripley)

The swimming kicked off today after an exciting opening ceremony where teams from 21 countries paraded the sports hall with their national flags.

 

Ben stormed through his 50 metre Backstroke to a personal best of 39.00 and taking a full second off his entry time and giving him his first gold of the Championships.

Joanne was next and her task looked formidable as she had the slowest entry time in her heat amazingly she pulled out all the stops finishing 4th and knocking an unbelievable 6 seconds off her 100 metres Backstroke time.

Ben rounded off the morning with a 3rd place and European record in the 400m Individual Medley which secured him another gold in the Mosaic category.

 

HDSSG wish Joanne & Ben along with the rest of Team GB all the very best for the rest of the competition, we will be tweeting updates as we receive them! follow us @hdssg1

 

You can keep up to date with all the news from Loano by following a blog written by Joanne’s family who are out there with the team:  http://kempley.webnode.com/blog/

 

 

 

HDSSG swimmers to compete in 2013 Special Olympics

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Huddersfield Down Syndrome Support Group are proud to announce that seven of our swimmers will be representing BOK Borough Of Kirklees) at next years Summer Special Olympic Games to be held at the University Of Bath in August 2013.

This fantastic opportunity will see our squad travel to Bath for 3 days of swimming events where they will compete against swimmers from across the country. Swim coach Gemma Ripley and group coordinator Chris Kempley work tirelessly to support the squad who train every Friday at Almondbury High School pool.

HDSSG are pleased to be helping the squad raise the money required to fund the trip to Bath by hosting a Body Shop Party and raffle at the Watershed, Slaithwaite, on Friday November 30th. Click here for more info.

Three of our swimmers swim for Great Britain at Down Syndrome European and and World Championship levels and in November Joanne Kempley and Ben Sweeney will be representing Team GB in Liguria, Italy. Sadly the International Paralympic Committee turned down a recent request from the Down Syndrome International Swimming Organisation to create a new paralympic classification for athletes with Down Syndrome.