Laura Jane makes a splash

THE public face of Special Olympics 2003 that has been smiling triumphantly from advertisement posters for several weeks was never more radiant as Laura Jane Dunne became the first Irish athlete to stand on the presentation podium at the National Aquatic Centre yesterday.

A colourful ribbon with a special achievement award attached was draped over her shoulders after she had finished fourth in her event and her joy was unconfined.

The special aura that enveloped her support group was just as dazzling.

I abandoned attempts to intercept Laura Jane as she was surrounded by well-wishers and instead turned to her mother.

"I'm Carmel Dunne, I'm Laura Jane Dunne's Mom," she said. "Excited? ... absolutely, absolutely. She swam brilliantly, she did her best and that's all we ask for."

Laura, who is 19, was fourth in her category of the 100m backstroke and will compete several more times this week.

Her father Sean was there to support as well with her sister Tania, but brother Jonathan was missing because he is in America.

So who were they amongst the cheer-leaders?

"They are all family, friends, coaches, friends of her sister and her brother and they all just wanted to come and see her and cheer her on" said Carmel who fought her shyness of the limelight in a little aside.

"I've never done this before, you're the first person I've ever given an interview to."

She need not have worried because she did famously. The exuberance of the moment was unmistakable as Carmel added:

"She's swimming since the age of five. Her brother swam and he was a water-polo player and swimming was just part of family life.

"She first went into the pool in Glenalbyn from the age of two, it was good for her physiotherapy and helping her to walk and from then swimming has been her life and she absolutely loves it."

Carmel's view of the colourful scene at the magnificent Aquatic Centre and the Special Olympics was expressed without reservation "This shows just what our people can do, not just Laura Jane, but all our people with special needs.

"It is good for everybody, we have all our family around us and all our friends showing their interest and showing their love, absolutely, absolutely, that's what it's all about."

SO is Laura Jane's way of life.

"That's where her friendships would be, that's where she's happiest, that's where her leisure activity takes place" said Carmel.

"She loves the SO club, we have a SO club in Sion Hill in Blackrock and we do basketball and table tennis there and she plays those as well."

The real significance of the event was captured beautifully by Carmel as she said:

"The celebrations are on-going. Last night at the opening ceremony the champagne was flying and yes, we'll celebrate, win or lose, it's taking part that is important so.

"I think these games are showing the world what we can do and what our athletes can do and yeah, I think Ireland will change after this because we should be aware of inclusion for our athletes especially, for all people, that's what this is all about."

I probed again what do you mean by inclusion ? "I mean people with Downs Syndrome ... we always felt that maybe they were used because of their face. You'd often see a person slow and it is hard to know what special needs they have.

"But with our people they're judged by the face and people often assume that maybe they can't talk or maybe they can't think so it's only by talking to them that they realise yeah, they have a capability, absolutely."

Let joy be unconfined goes the old saying and it washed over the gathering as Carmel spread her cloak of warmth and goodwill all the way to Leinster House.

"The Taoiseach, Bertie, got it absolutely right. Do it again around the country, Abbotstown is absolutely brilliant, more 50m pools are needed."

Sister Tania spoke with the same spirit that drove Laura Jane to her citation.

"It's just wonderful, I just feel that it brings it all home. It's just that she's special and we are proud of her, very proud of her."