JENNIFER Clark with the gold medal she won in the 50m backstroke.
SUPERSTAR Special Olympian swimmer Jennifer Clark, from Ōtorohanga, has won several medals at the recent New Zealand National Summer Games held in Hamilton this month. In the 50 metre backstroke event, the 21-year-old won gold. Apart from her big win, she got silver in the 50m freestyle and bronze in the 25m relay, plus fifth place in the 100m freestyle. Jennifer achieved a personal best time in the latter. “[I’m] really happy about them, all of them,” Jennifer said. Jennifer’s mother Catherine Clark said her daughter enjoyed meeting new people from around New Zealand, and supporting her fellow club members. “It was exciting, cheering everybody on in the team. It’s something she’s worked really hard for … there’s been many years of training to get to this stage,” Catherine said. Jennifer hopes to keep swimming in the future, with another big goal two years away. “We’re looking forward to the nationals again, which will be held in Christchurch in 2025,” Catherine said. Jennifer’s swimming club is the Te Awamutu Special Olympics Trust, which fielded 18 swimmers at the nationals. The club’s team was the second biggest to attend the event, Catherine said. Many of their swimmers achieved personal best times at the Summer Nationals, Catherine said. Out of the pool, Jennifer works at Kiwitown Mitre 10 four mornings a week. “She is a very valued member of our staff. She is amazing at decorating our shop window and putting BBQs and braziers together,” business owner Alan Coxon said. “We’re very proud of her.” Special Olympics is for any individual with an intellectual disability. Catherine is the chairperson of Special Olympics Te Awamutu, which covers the Te Kūiti and Ōtorohanga areas also. “If anybody wants to join … it’s the only club for this region.” Catherine is grateful to everyone who has backed the team. “We had a great team of volunteers who supported us,” she said.
