UPDATE: SCHLADMING, AUSTRIA — Special Olympics Indiana – Ripley Ohio Dearborn Counties’ (SOIN-ROD) athlete, Chris Perdue, of Osgood, IND, won gold at the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games.
The Games began March 14 and will continue until March 25 in Graz, Schladming-Rohrmoos and Ramsau, Austria.
Perdue, a 17-year-old South Ripley High School student, wrapped up competition after setting a new personal record and winning his division in the Snowboarding – Advanced Giant Slalom.
Competition Results:
Snowboarding – Advanced Super G
March 19, 2017
Time: 1:11.90
Place: 5th
Snowboarding – Advanced Giant Slalom
March 21, 2017
Time: 2:10.90
Place: 1st
To view the full race results, visit http://www.austria2017.org/en/games-2017/the-results.
Perdue competed against athletes from all around the world. In the Advanced Giant Slalom event he challenged a total of eight athletes from New Zealand, Switzerland, Japan, Austria, Korea and fellow Team USA member Jeremy Beckham in his division.
“I have never been more proud of Chris,” said Perdue’s mom Sherry Carroll. “He has inspired me and he is inspiring others to give it their best.”
During the Snowboarding Advanced Giant Slalom competition, athletes take two runs down a course making their way around gates. The two times are combined for their final time.
During Perdue’s first run he set a personal record and was in third place behind athletes from Switzerland and New Zealand. On the second run Perdue again set a personal record shaving approximately five seconds from his time to capture the gold.
“Chris’ second run impressed us all,” said Perdue’s local coach Jimmy Laub. “He nailed everything we have been practicing and I could not be more proud he is coming home with gold.”
ORIGINAL STORY:
GRAZ AND SCHLADMING, AUSTRIA –WRBI has learned that Osgood native, Chris Perdue, captured first place today in the Advance Giant Slalom at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria.
The Gold medal ceremony for Perdue will be tomorrow and you can watch it live on the Special Olympics Indiana Ripley, Ohio, Dearborn County’s Facebook page beginning at 5:00 EDT.