Albany Area Gold Medal Winner – Special Olympics World Winter Games

The 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games, hosted in Korea, brought us a local Albany Area gold medal winner! Meet Emily Stephen.

Emily Stephens, from Saratoga, New York, competed at the 2013 Pyeongchang Special Olympics Winter Games. A moving ceremony of overcoming the limitations of mental development disabilities, the Special Olympics World Winter Games PyeongChang 2013 was held from January 29th, 2013 to February 5th, 2013, at Pyeongchang, the Mecca of global winter sports in Korea.

What sport category did you win?

Alpine skiing. I won a gold in the super g silver in giant slalom.

How long did you practice and prepare?

I started by going to the gym, then went to lake Placid in December and trained for a week with everybody on team USA.

How did it feel to win?

It felt like a dream, not even real, like i was dreaming.

Who helped you the most to compete for the Special Olympics?

I feel like everybody helped me get ready for it with cheering me on. I think I'll never forget how it felt to wear team USA, and to know that i had honor to represent my country in the games.

Emily Stephens is affiliated with the Battenkill Community Services, Inc.. The group also enjoys Country Line Dance activities and has even danced on-stage at Walt Disney World.

WGNA is a proud supporter of Special Olympics New York. Click here to see our 'Over The Edge' fundraiser from last year.