Special Olympics Health Messengers Inspiring Their Communities to Stay Active on World …
Urimondjira Ruzo, a Special Olympics Namibia athlete leads an outdoor community fitness activity. World Day for Physical Activity is celebrated globally on 6 April each year, emphasizing the importance of staying active through sport and physical fitness daily. Physical fitness is a key aspect of Special Olympics’ mission. Special Olympics encourages athletes and their communities […]
Urimondjira Ruzo, a Special Olympics Namibia athlete leads an outdoor community fitness activity.
World Day for Physical Activity is celebrated globally on 6 April each year, emphasizing the importance of staying active through sport and physical fitness daily. Physical fitness is a key aspect of Special Olympics’ mission. Special Olympics encourages athletes and their communities to engage in year-round fitness activities to promote optimal health and sports performance.
Data collected from a 2018 Special Olympics athlete satisfaction survey showed 58% of Special Olympics athletes said they joined Special Olympics “to stay fit and healthy.” Staying active not only enhances sport performance but prevents and manages non-communicable diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes, reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improves overall well-being.
One way Special Olympics promotes healthy lifestyles is through the work of Health Messengers. Health Messengers are Special Olympics athletes who are trained to serve as health and wellness leaders in their communities by leading education and fitness activities and empowering athletes to advocate for the health needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Since 2016, over 5,000 athletes have been trained to serve as leaders and advocates in their communities.
This World Day for Physical Activity, Special Olympics is highlighting four Health Messengers for their leadership in inspiring athletes and community members to stay active year-round.
Below, meet four Health Messengers who are getting their communities moving.
José Miguel Ramírez González – Special Olympics Colombia
José Miguel Ramírez González, a Special Olympics Colombia athlete teaches swim drills and leads a practice.
Health Messenger José Miguel Ramírez González is a dedicated swimmer and a leader in his community. José believes in the power of fitness and always encourages athletes to push themselves. He has a natural ability to inspire those around him, leading by example and showing how committing to a healthy lifestyle makes lasting impacts.
José understands that staying motivated is key to inspiring others and shares, “we motivate ourselves every day to improve our physical activity goals. For example, if I ran 5 kilometers yesterday, my goal for the next day is to increase the distance I ran. This will certainly have a beneficial effect on our health and well-being.”
Understanding that physical fitness can benefit one’s overall well-being, Jose adds, “being physically active makes me feel happy and healthy. It improves my mood, increases my confidence and self-esteem, and makes me feel comfortable with my physical appearance. Staying physically active improves my muscle strength and helps me increase my endurance in the pool.”
José’s influence extends beyond the pool with his positive mindset and dedication to building healthy lifestyles in his community.
Joe MacNamara, a Special Olympics Ireland athlete (right), educates his teammates about nutrition.
Joe MacNamara – Special Olympics Ireland
Health Messenger Joe MacNamara has made it his goal to educate athletes and community members about nutrition and fitness. Joe shares his knowledge of food groups and portion sizes to help athletes stay fit and strong. In addition to his passion of teaching others, Joe is equally dedicated to promoting year-round physical activity in his community. Recently, Joe led a four-month weekly fitness program for his swimming teammates, encouraging them to stay active outside of the pool.
Joe emphasizes that staying active is beneficial for everyone, encouraging not only his teammates to stay active but also families and other community members. He shares, “it is good to take fresh air and walking is good for health and well-being and staying fit. If you do a walk with Team South Galway, you can bring your dog as well. It is good for family members in the local community to walk for their health and being active is good for your physical and mental well-being.”
Highlighting that physical fitness benefits more than just sports performance, Joe explains, “physical activity can help change the chemicals in our brain which can result in a positive mood change. There is some evidence to suggest that exercise can bring about a sense of greater self-esteem, self-control and the ability to rise to a challenge.”
To Joe, fitness means improving your overall well-being, both physically and mentally. Joe plans to continue leading the exercise program in the future.
Urimondjira Ruzo – Special Olympics Namibia
Urimondjira Ruzo prepares and organizes a community physical fitness drill.
A Health Messenger, Sport Assistant Coach, Fitness Captain, and a Youth Leader, Urimondjira Ruzo is a community-driven individual. He is a dual-sport athlete, playing floorball and soccer, and leads fitness sessions in his community. Urimondjira is always looking for ways to make a positive impact. As a Special Olympics athlete, he knows sports and fitness have a unique way of connecting people.
Urimondjira reflected on the social aspect of physical fitness sharing, “physical activity keeps me healthy and makes me make friends.” As an athlete, he understands first-hand how being part of a community not only connects people but promotes overall well-being.
Understanding the positive impact sports and fitness provide, Urimondjira shares, “my hope for others on this World Day for Physical Activity is for more people to start moving and stay active and try to enjoy it.”
Special Olympics Puerto Rico athlete, Armando Renta instructs swimmers during a fitness activity.
Armando Renta – Special Olympics Puerto Rico
Armando Renta, a Health Messenger and Athlete Leader is an experienced swimmer and inspirational leader. He is an assistant coach for his local swimming program, Breaking Barriers of the Municipality of Ponce, and is responsible for teaching children and young adults swimming and fitness skills.
Armando understands the impact fitness can have both in and outside of the pool. He reflected on the importance of motivating each other to stay active, sharing, “I like to encourage and motivate these children and young people to do physical activities because it is vital to maintain good health.”
To Armando, it’s important to encourage others to take charge of their own health, adding, “physical activity is important for everyone. For my athletes in the Breaking Barriers program, swimming is a very appealing activity. It is a well-rounded sport. They find it fun, and at the same time, I manage to help them live a healthier and more productive life through physical activity.”
By working with community members and athletes, Armando is motivating athletes and community members to live healthier lives through his love of swimming.
Health Messengers remind us of the importance of staying consistent and staying active year-round, and how this can promote overall well-being among athletes, families, and community members.
Special Olympics and the American Council on Exercise launched a free, six module online course designed for people both with and without IDD. The course features real-world examples, including Special Olympics athletes, interactive learning modules, and post-course resources to help individuals gain confidence and skills to inspire communities to be more active, just like these four Health Messengers. Take the free course to become a Community Physical Activity Leader and inspire communities to stay active.
The Most Talked-About 19th Place in South African Sporting History
South Africa’s U20 water polo team may have finished 19th in the world… but they finished first in our hearts, and apparently, on Gayton McKenzie’s emoji keyboard. Global (22 June 2025) – It was a proud moment. A sporting victory. A big bold celebration for our team in green and gold. Also… it was […]
South Africa’s U20 water polo team may have finished 19th in the world… but they finished first in our hearts, and apparently, on Gayton McKenzie’s emoji keyboard.
Global (22 June 2025) – It was a proud moment. A sporting victory. A big bold celebration for our team in green and gold.
Also… it was a match for 19th place.
But don’t tell that to South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, who fired off a post so full of national pride, emojis, and unshakeable enthusiasm, it practically did a lap around the pool.
“We are the best sporting nation in the world ” – Gayton McKenzie via Facebook
South Africa’s U20 water polo team had just beaten New Zealand 16–15 in a dramatic penalty shootout at the 2025 World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia and while it might have been the playoff for 19th place, it felt like Olympic gold online.
Photo Credit: Gayton McKenzie via Facebook
Cue the reactions.
“Well done to the lads for their win. But can we calm down a bit about a 19th place finish?”
“South Africa just won the ‘Ain’t nobody got time for small print’ world champs!!”
“So we ended 19th, is that what I’m seeing?? ”
“It looks like South Africa is using witchcraft on sports the way it is winning”
“What is this now? Hugging Championships? ”
“Operation ‘Win Everything’ is here.”
“A new Era is upon us, SA is doing extremely well in many frontiers ”
So what actually happened?
Let’s break it down.
South Africa’s U20 water polo squad had a tough run at the tournament, grouped with Brazil and Germany, both seasoned sides. They went on to face Colombia, Kazakhstan and Canada in the classification rounds, and while results didn’t go our way in those matches, the team stayed in the fight.
Then came New Zealand.
With both teams vying to avoid the dreaded bottom spot, it all came down to this final showdown. Four intense quarters ended in a 15–15 tie, which pushed the game into a penalty shootout. South Africa held their nerve and edged it 3–2, securing 19th place and a whole lot of unexpected internet fame.
“After two interesting matches decided in penalty shootouts, Colombia won 17th place, while South Africa avoided the bottom of the standings with a victory over New Zealand.”
Yes, it was for 19th place. No, it wasn’t a medal match. But context matters and this young team’s win is more than just a number on a chart. You see, South Africa is climbing. In recent years, our senior water polo teams have qualified for the Olympics, held strong at World Championships and helped put the sport on the map locally. Youth participation is growing, and our juniors are starting to show promise, just by qualifying for global tournaments like this one.
So maybe we’re not world champs just yet… but don’t tell that to Gayton McKenzie. Or to the players who hugged it out in that pool with proud smiles on their faces. Or to every South African who needed a win (even a 19th-place one) to make their day a little brighter.
Because if there’s one thing we’ll never run short of… it’s spirit (and jokes).
Sources: Gayton McKenzie Social Media | World Aquatics U20 Championships | Total Waterpolo
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‘This is never what college sports were meant to be’
However, while McCoy and her team are not responsible for how WSU got into this situation, they are accountable for how WSU responds to it. That is to say that the optics of a 10-minute Zoom meeting, in which 18-24-year-olds learn that their or their teammates’ athletic pursuits will no longer be supported by WSU, […]
However, while McCoy and her team are not responsible for how WSU got into this situation, they are accountable for how WSU responds to it.
That is to say that the optics of a 10-minute Zoom meeting, in which 18-24-year-olds learn that their or their teammates’ athletic pursuits will no longer be supported by WSU, followed by little communication or dialogue, are not great and could have been easily avoided.
Would a question-and-answer period during the Zoom meeting have changed the outcome of numerous current athletes and alumni scorning the university? No, probably not.
However, student-athletes, many of whom have moved across the country or the world to entrust their athletic and academic careers to an institution, deserve a little more grace than that.
“We were upset because they said they had known for weeks but didn’t tell us because a few of us had made it to Nationals and were still competing,” WSU sprinter Ashley Hollenbeck-Willems said.
The WSU track and field program has consistently produced national champions. While some of the program’s most decorated athletes were distance runners, four out of the five athletes to represent WSU at Nationals this past year were sprinters, comprising a 400-meter relay team.
One of those relay team members, Mason Lawyer, set the WSU record in both the indoor and outdoor 200-meter dash this year and competed in the 100 and 200 at Nationals.
Days following WSU “limiting” his events and not renewing his coach’s contract, Lawyer is in the transfer portal.
He joins a slew of WSU athletes in the portal, including Hollenbeck-Willems and Lyons, who must cancel leases and figure out their next steps without the assistance of significant name, image and likeness deals or, for many track athletes, the benefit of full scholarships.
It also leaves three coaches and their families in a similar state of transition.
Coaches and pundits alike warned that Olympic sports could suffer drastically as schools attempt to reorder their budgets to prioritize revenue sharing.
Track and field was the first WSU sport affected. It almost certainly won’t be the last.
WSU, along with the rest of college athletics, is in uncharted waters.
Before any more programs drown at sea, the powers that be — college presidents and athletic directors, conference commissioners and TV executives — should come to terms with the weight of their actions and do everything they can to reverse course.
That won’t happen because TV executives are getting everything they want and everyone else is just trying to survive.
College sports may never be the same again and no one should be spinning it into a positive or spending any energy not attempting to fix what is clearly broken.
“This is never what college sports were meant to be,” Brooke Lyons said. “College sports are meant to build a spirit and community within the universities. Obviously, now we’re seeing it’s just kind of tearing them apart, and it’s lost its purpose. And I think people need to realize that quick, or else there’s going to be a lot more issues like this.”
Perhaps the powers that be in college athletics should start listening to the college athletes themselves.
Taylor can be reached at 208-848-2268, staylor@lmtribune.com, or on X or Instagram @Sam_C_Taylor.
Solanco freshman earns silver medal at New Balance Outdoor Track & Field Nationals | Local Sports
Lauren Eshleman is among the best in the nation. The Solanco jumper earned a silver medal in the girls freshman triple jump on Saturday’s third day of the New Balance Nationals Outdoors at Penn’s Franklin Field in Philadelphia, recording a mark of 11.37 meters on her second jump. Eshleman placed 13th overall and first among […]
The Solanco jumper earned a silver medal in the girls freshman triple jump on Saturday’s third day of the New Balance Nationals Outdoors at Penn’s Franklin Field in Philadelphia, recording a mark of 11.37 meters on her second jump.
Eshleman placed 13th overall and first among freshmen in Class 3A at the District Three meet last month. Elizabethtown’s Grace Mortha also participated in the event Saturday, placing 24th with a mark of 10.52 on her first try.
Manheim Township’s Cole Stevens finished eighth in the boys steeplechase in 6:01.99.
A pair of Hempfield throwers placed in the middle school girls shot put, with Evelyn Gates claiming 17th (10.49 meters) and Naomi Gates taking 23rd (9.93). Northern Lebanon’s Emily Weimer also finished 35th (8.98).
Conestoga Valley’s Brusvazion Baisch took 17th place in the freshman boys javelin, recording a mark of 41.96.
E-town’s Kate Ferris led a slew of locals in the middle school girls 800-meter run, placing 25th in 2:18.98. Teammate Sophia Short was close behind at 2:23.85, placing 58th. A pair of Hempfield runners, Giuliana Houseman (2:34.00, 124th) and Sienna Houseman (2:40.06, 131st), also ran in the event.
Cedar Crest’s Mikayla Fripps placed 34th in the freshman girls shot put with a mark of 9.41 on her third and final throw.
Penn Manor’s Ethan Kloppmann earned a tie for 37th place in the high school boys high jump, earning a mark of 1.97 meters.
Ethan Kloppmann’s first attempt at the high jump was memorable for all the wrong reasons. It…
Nick Keller of Ephrata took 43rd in the high school boys 400, finishing in 48.08 seconds. Keller placed fourth at the PIAA Class 3A meet last month in the event. Warwick’s Cooper Hollinger also placed in a high school track event, taking 53rd in the mile (4:16.16).
SHIPPENSBURG — Adam Kingston just wanted to be there for the kick.
McCaskey’s Alondra Grover placed 50th in the freshman girls 200 (25.80) while Cocalico’s Lia Augustine was less than a second behind at 26.34, taking 80th.
Two local squads competed in the 400 relay: McCaskey’s team of Davionne Stennett, Emery Plaza, Edwin Santana and Haneef Porter placed 54th on the boys side with a time of 42.71, while Annville-Cleona’s Miracle Hershey, Jada Morales, Sophia Caporaletti and Kendall Cooper took 60th on the girls side with a mark of 49.68.
Manheim Township’s Cole Stevens, and many of his fellow competitors, placed their hands on t…
Also, Manheim Central’s Kylie Mattice placed 91st in the girls 100 hurdles (15.29) and Lancaster Catholic’s Andrew Moore took 102nd in the freshman boys’ 400 (53.51).
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Australia’s Minjee Lee is well placed to land her third major title after moving into a four-shot lead during the third round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Starting the day three shots behind Jeeno Thitikul, Lee defied windy conditions at PGA Frisco’s Fields Ranch East to card a bogey-free 69. “I’m constantly practicing in […]
Australia’s Minjee Lee is well placed to land her third major title after moving into a four-shot lead during the third round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
Starting the day three shots behind Jeeno Thitikul, Lee defied windy conditions at PGA Frisco’s Fields Ranch East to card a bogey-free 69.
“I’m constantly practicing in windy conditions. It is windy and it’s really consistent,” Lee said. “I can hit a knockdown shot but you also have to play the wind. You have to play so much extra out here that you have to be a little more creative.”
On a day when only two other players were able to break par, Lee’s birdies at the ninth, 14th and 15th saw her reach six under par for the week and pull clear of playing partner Thitikul.
“Obviously major Sunday is a different story. This is round three, so I think I have to still dig deep and post a score, even with a four-shot lead,” Lee said.
Image: Minjee Lee has won two majors previously
“I’m just going to put my head down, work on the things that I can do and do it to the best of my ability.”
Lee won the 2022 US Women’s Open and 2021 Evian Championship.
Thailand’s Thitikul endured a difficult day on the greens – at one stage she saw putts lip out on three consecutive holes – as a 76 left her with plenty of work to do if she is to win her first major championship.
“Definitely frustrated about the result today, not really making putts the first two days,” Thitikul said. “But still on the positive side, just two players making under par after three rounds and I’m one.”
Korea’s Choi Hye-Jin, Japan’s Miyu Yamashita and USA’s Lexi Thompson are tied for third on one over par – the latter having fought back from a triple-bogey eight on the opening hole.
World No 1 Nelly Korda and Ireland’s Leona Maguire are among those tied for sixth on two over after matching rounds of 72, with England’s Charley Hull two shots further back following a 73.
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Let us read it for you. Listen now. Your browser does not support the audio element. The University of Wisconsin and its NIL collective VC Connect filed a joint lawsuit on Friday against the University of Miami alleging it knowingly induced one of the Badgers’ football players to abandon a lucrative name, image and likeness […]
The University of Wisconsin and its NIL collective VC Connect filed a joint lawsuit on Friday against the University of Miami alleging it knowingly induced one of the Badgers’ football players to abandon a lucrative name, image and likeness contract to play for the Florida school this upcoming season.
Allegations of tampering rarely get to this level and the 23-page lawsuit, which was filed in state court in Wisconsin and obtained by The Associated Press, is unusual. Depending on its resolution, it could have a a wider impact on future NIL deals across college athletics.
The player in question in the filing is referred to only as “Student-Athlete A.” But the case summary describes facts that line up with the situation involving cornerback Xavier Lucas, who last December announced his plans to enter the transfer portal.
Shortly afterward, Darren Heitner, who has been representing Lucas, indicated that Wisconsin was refusing to put Lucas’ name in the portal and that it was hindering his ability to talk with other schools. In January, Heitner announced that Lucas would be playing for Miami this fall.
The situation is fallout from the rapid changes engulfing college athletics, specifically a combination of two things: Athletes went to court and won the ability to transfer with much more freedom and the 2021 NCAA decision clearing the way for them to strike NIL endorsement deals now worth millions of dollars.
“Indeed, student-athletes’ newfound NIL rights will be rendered meaningless if third parties are allowed to induce student-athletes to abandon their contractual commitments,” a portion of the lawsuit reads.
Wisconsin said in January that it had credible information that Miami and Lucas made impermissible contact with each other before the former Badgers cornerback decided to transfer.
Wisconsin and VC Connect allege that the inducement for Lucas to attend Miami happened within days of him entering his NIL agreement to play for the Badgers, and that they incurred substantial monetary harm. The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages and “a declaration that Miami’s conduct directed towards Student-Athlete A constituted tampering.”
A message left with the University of Miami seeking comment was not immediately returned. In a text message Friday, Heitner declined to comment on the lawsuit but he said that Lucas still plans to attend Miami and play football.
Wisconsin said it had the support of its leadership and the Big Ten Conference in filing the lawsuit, noting its commitment to “ensuring integrity and fundamental fairness in the evolving landscape of college athletics.”
“While we reluctantly bring this case, we stand by our position that respecting and enforcing contractual obligations is essential to maintaining a level playing field,” the statement said. “In addition to our legal action, we will continue to be proactive to protect the interests of our student-athletes, our program and the broader collegiate athletics community.
Lucas, who is from Pompano Beach, Fla., had 12 tackles, an interception and a sack as a freshman for Wisconsin last season.
Heitner said that Lucas hasn’t received any money from Wisconsin and therefore owes no money to the school. Heitner also argued that Wisconsin had violated an NCAA bylaw by not entering Lucas into the transfer database within two business days of the player’s request.
Wisconsin issued a statement at the time saying it hadn’t put Lucas’ name in the portal because he had entered a two-year binding NIL agreement.
In April, the surprise transfers of brothers Nico and Madden Iamaleava from Tennessee to UCLA prompted fresh questions about contracts and buyouts.
Nico Iamaleava, who led Tennessee to the College Football Playoff last season, walked away from a reported $2.4 million NIL contract. Arkansas freshman quarterback Madden Iamaleava entered the portal after spring practices wrapped up.
Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek released a statement indicating he would support efforts by the Razorbacks’ NIL collective to enforce buyout clauses in athlete contracts. Iamaleava reportedly had a contract valued at $500,000 upon signing with Arkansas.
” – Gayton McKenzie via Facebook 
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