CHRISTOPHER Hattersley participated with great success in the Special Olympics Great Britain National Cycling competition at Tameside Cycle Circuit, Ashton-under-Lyne recently.
Cyclists from Scotland, England, Wales and the Isle of Man of all abilities gathered and competed in road race and time trial events.
The Special Olympics GB and Isle of Man athletes demonstrated to themselves, to their coaches and the spectators what they can do, rather than what they cannot do.
The event was the largest cycling competition in Great Britain this year for athletes with intellectual (learning) disabilities.
Chris, from Special Olympics Isle of Man, won silver in the 10km time trial, recording 17min 27sec, to finish a mere 12 seconds off the gold medal ride from Daniel Weston, representing Great Britain Special Olympics’ Devon region.
In the 15km road race the Isle of Man rider rose to the occasion by breaking clear of the bunch at half-distance, going on to win by some 56sec from Stevie Burns of Great Britain Special Olympics Fife region.
An added bonus to the day for Special Olympics Isle of Man was that national director Beryl Wooldridge was invited to present the awards for this event and a Paralympics hand cycling and tandem event which also took place during the championships.