BERLIN, Germany — Special Olympics Jamaica aquatics Head Coach Marissa Hayman says exposure to international competition has provided a boost for athletes’ self-confidence and their social development, especially for the inexperienced ones who competed at the World Summer Games.

Swimmers Andrew McIntosh and Tasheanna Bailey, both first-timers to the Special Olympics World Games, won medals in competition at Europasportpark (SSE) in Berlin last week.

The 18-year-old McIntosh swam a personal best 15.64 seconds in the 25m freestyle (Level A, Division MA03) to finish second behind Goitsemodimo Mosepele (15.60) of SO South Africa. Odir Enriquez Franco of Guatemala was third with 15.70.

Bailey, 27, clocked 58.63 seconds in 25m freestyle (Level B, Division FB01) for third place behind Jitendra Shirgaonkar (46.13) of SO Bharat (India) and Maryam Al Saidi (53.93) of SO Oman. Bailey had significantly lowered her personal best over the distance to 52.71 during the semi-finals.

Their teammate Andrew Bartholomew, who has won global medals before, won bronze in the 25m freestyle (Level A, Division MA02) in 18.20 seconds. He trailed the SO Slovenia pair of winner Aidan Aroz (16.18) of and second-placed Amadej Kremzar (17.86).

“I believe the aquatics team performed extremely well at this staging of the World Games,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

“The experience was definitely very intense and filled with lots of emotions. We were a small team – only four swimmers – and they all exceeded our expectations and truly defined the Jamaican saying of ‘we likkle but we tallawah’.

“The overall experience has been incredible for the athletes, especially the two who were participating in the games for the first time. It has been such an amazing setting for not only the development of their sporting skills but their personal and social development as well,” Hayman explained.

“They’ve made memories and created bonds that will last a lifetime. The games also really pushed these two to the limit, and showed them that they have so much more potential, as their times at the events are the fastest they’ve ever recorded,” the swimming head coach added.

Hayman and her Assistant Coach Brittany Williams also watched the team suffer heartache.

Veteran swimmer Kadian Ingleton, who tapped the wall first, was disqualified in the women’s 800m freestyle (Level 2, Division 1) race because her final time (16:57.36 minutes) was beyond the allowable range for that category.

The SO Germany pair of Elke Jaeger (17:07.29) and Patrizia Spaulding (17:13.69) were disqualified for similar reason, leaving the door open for SO Italy’s Anita Greco (19:09.24) to win gold.

Hayman said she and her team had to take that devastating blow in stride.

“Although the initial feelings of disappointment were really strong after losing out on the gold medal in the 800m freestyle, the athletes are all in high spirits and we’re happy to be going home with three medals,” she said, while also giving assurance that Ingleton will rebound.

Through sport activities and competition, the Special Olympics International movement aims to break down barriers that exclude people with intellectual disabilities, such as autism and Down’s syndrome, from mainstream society.