First Lady, Stevie Wonder To Attend World Summer Games
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. Radio advertisements, billboard advertisements, LAX International Airport advertisements are introducing the residents of Southern California to the upcoming Special Olympics World Summer Games this month.
Along with United States First Lady Michelle Obama and entertainer Stevie Wonder, ESPN will broadcast the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the World Summer Games that will include a POW (Pool Open Water) exhibition and a 1.5 km open water competition in Long Beach’s Alamitos Bay.
Andrew Smilley of the Cayman Islands, who will be featured by the Disney-owned ESPN, is expected to defend his open water swimming title in Long Beach – and he will be one of over 7,000 athletes from 177 countries in participation.
Local open water swimmers including Mallory Mead, Lexie Kelley, Jen Schumacher and Taylor Spivey will among the mass of volunteers supporting the open water event.
Photo shows Smilley being congratulated by Kester Edwards, the inspiration and driving force behind open water swimming by Special Olympics International.
Copyright © 2015 by World Open Water Swimming Association
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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