Two silvers — now Chris wants gold in Greece
Ballina athlete Chris Hendry has returned from the Special Olympics World Games in Shanghai, China, with two silver medals – and a burning ambition to do it all again when the next Games are held in Greece in 2011.
Chris’ silver in the 100m sprint and 4×100m relay helped the Australian team to its best-ever effort at a World Games.
It also repaid the faith many Ballina people who helped him and his mum, Maryellen, get to China, had shown in him.
“It was the best experience of my life. My feet were this high off the ground,” Chris said this week, pointing to a point 20cm off the ground at the Ballina High School oval, where he spent four years of hard work preparing for China.
Chris, who earned the nickname Steam Train for the way he charges in to bowl at cricket, said he was surprised at how well he performed in China.
But his coach, Ballina Athletics Club mentor Peter Stephenson, said Chris’ silver medals came as no surprise to him.
He said that Chris was a ‘dream’ to coach, showing great enthusiasm and dedication on the training track.
Peter said reaction he had received from Ballina people showed that the town was very proud of Chris, and he hoped that the support shown in the lead-up to China continued as Chris prepared for Greece in 2011.
Peter said one of the most pleasing aspects of Chris’ performance – apart from the fact that he was now rated No 2 in the world in his 100m event and the relay – was that he ran faster every time he took to the track in Shanghai.
This was highlighted in the relay when Chris ran a scintillating third leg to get the Australian team into medal calculations.
Peter believes that the experience Chris gained will see a better athlete in Greece in 2011.
Chris also finished fourth in the 200m in Shanghai, and Peter believes he can improve on this in future competitions.
For proud mum Maryellen, it also was the trip of a lifetime.
She said the Chinese were wonderful hosts.
“They looked after the parents really well,” she said.
Maryellen said it was a very emotional trip for Chris.
“He did it for his Pop,” she said.
Chris’ grandfather, Jim Harper, passed away in 1998 when Chris was competing in the national championships in Hobart, and the double-silver effort in China was achieved as much for Jim as it was for Chris.
Coach Peter now believes that Chris can improve on his China efforts when the Special Olympics are held in Greece.
Chris is 27 now, and Peter believes that Chris will peak as an athlete at age 31 or 32.
Chris, Peter and Maryellen were quick to thank all those who helped get Chris and Maryellen to China – from the Ballina Athletics Club and Ballina High School for the training and track facility, and all those who helped raise funds to get them to Shanghai.
Chris certainly put the ‘hard yards’ in to get to China.
He trained four to five times a week, with sessions lasting from 90 minutes to two hours.
Right now, he’s looking forward to a party to celebrate his success, and returning to work with Ballina Shire Council.
Then it’s back on the training track – and four more years of hard slog to get him to the home of athletics, Greece, in 2011.
Now, with the experience of competing on the world stage in China, Chris believes he has the experience behind to perform even better in the 2011 Games.
PICTURES: Chris with his mum Maryellen and coach Peter Stephenson, and Chris running the third leg in the 4×100m relay in China.
