Bella wants to thank all the wonderful individuals and groups who have supported her to compete in Berlin. As part of this, Bella this week shared some of her experiences with the full Selwyn District Council meeting who were suitably impressed. We hope you enjoy the presentation. Thanks again for all your support. STARTS AT 14.00MIN
Bella this week claimed a bronze medal with her 4x25 freestyle relay team and just missed out on another medal in the freestyle. She also finished 5th in the 25m backstroke final where her fast qualifying times had pushed her into the top category. Bella achieved a personal best in just about every race, so she did amazingly well. She hopes she did all of her supporters proud.
The NZ Special Olympics team has arrived safe and sound in Munich for their pre World Summer Games training camp. After a morning training session, the team went for a tour of Munich. No rest for the wicket. Very handy that Bella is one of the shortest on the team, so she will always be at the front of any photo.
Very exciting Bella. It was a real thrill when I swam in the Munich Olympic Pool: (swim not competition!!) Enjoy the experience and grow from it. All the best!
Wow, wow, wow. On the day Bella departed for Berlin we hit our fundraising target, with minutes to spare, thanks to 111 incredibly generous friends, family, individuals and groups. We are truly overwhelmed by the level of support and generosity, so THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. Bella on Wednesday received her official Special Olympics team cap and she looks so sharp in her official uniform. Bella is on her way to Germany and we can't wait to see her in action. We will keep you posted!
Bella's story was captured beautifully by Stuff reporter Olivia Caldwell today for the Sunday Star Times and Stuff with wonderful photos from Iain McGregor who knows Bella well. Hope you enjoy the read.
We are counting down the days until Bella leaves for Berlin and we have nearly reached out target thanks to over 100 amazing friends and groups supporting Bella. We just found out that the opening ceremony on June 18 NZT will be on Sky Sport's ESPN channel from 7am so keep an eye out for the NZ team and our own superstar. Yesterday a photographer from The Press and Stuff followed Bella at training so keep an eye on Stuff and your paper. He shared some of the amazing photos with us from Bella's hard at work at Selwyn pool.
Can't wait to watch you Bella and follow your story good luck and bring home them medals x
Bella and Team NZ were put through their paces last week at the final training camp in Palmerston North before the entire NZ delegation heads for Berlin on June 7. The team trained hard and competed at regional event in Fielding where Bella scored two second places and a win. All looking on track for an amazing few weeks in Germany.
We are only three weeks away before Bella departs for Berlin and we are getting close to our fundraising target thanks to amazing support from Bella's community, including a Multi Day at her old primary school Clearview Primary and a fundraising drive by her Canterbury-Buller Okinawan Goju Ryu karate club who raised $1600 selling beautiful wrist bands with GO BELLA GO. Many thanks to everyone who has been supporting Bella.
Special Olympics NZ have created some wonderful biographies for the team for Berlin. Come and meet Bella's team-mates on this link.
https://specialolympics.org.nz/2023-world-summer-games-meet-the-team/
And big thank you to Selwyn District Council for supporting Bella's Journey to Berlin.
Great preparation for Bella towards Berlin today, competing at a regional Special Olympics competition in Rangiora under the watchful eye of National Head Coach Carla L'Huillier who had travelled down from the North Island to see Bella and team-mate Haven Drinnan. Beating the boys in breaststroke was a particular highlight and a new PB in backstroke. Berlin only eight weeks away!
Dear friends. We have created a special Facebook page for Bella's Journey To Berlin so we can keep you up to speed with all her adventures, training and fundraising efforts. We invite you to follow this page and share it far and wide, so you can all enjoy the amazing weeks ahead. Heartfelt thank you to all the wonderful, generous people helping Bella compete in Germany in June.
Bella's old school Rolleston College produced this terrific video with Bella last week to show her in action and the response from the school community has been fantastic. Thanks everyone for supporting Bella's journey.
Bella and her three team-mates in the NZ swim squad for Berlin had a big weekend training and competing in Auckland this weekend. Bella did well, travelling only with her Canterbury team-mate Haven and finishing runner-up twice and fourth in her final event. The training is starting to pay off, improving her stroke, speed and stamina.
Today is 100 days to go until the start of the World Summer Games and this week Bella was lucky enough to meet world champion trampolinist Dylan Schmidt, along with some of her team-mates for the World Games. Schmidt was a silver medallist was the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and has been appointed official ambassador for Special Olympics New Zealand to help raise awareness and funding for athletes with an intellectual disability. Big thanks Bella to everyone for supporting her to compete in Berlin.
