. Captions by Antony Vlug. www.able.co.nz Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2017 How do you feel about holding all those up? That's all medals I got last couple years. That's my skiing. I just like doing Special Olympics. It's just about a full-time thing. I enjoy it. Everything that Special Olympics stands for is about helping people and achieve their maximum potential. (ALL CHEER) (PHONE RINGS) Hello. Brian here. Southern Police DCC. I got involved with Special Olympics about 30 years ago through a friend of mine that has a daughter who's a Special Olympics athlete. He invited me to come skiing for a weekend and help out with his daughter and some other athletes, and that was 25 years ago, and I've been there every weekend since. The trip we're about to undertake is` three weeks. We travel from Auckland to Austria and attend the World Winter Games. Michael is a quiet achiever. 20 years ago, Michael went to the World Winter Games in Austria, and we're going back; I think it's to the same venue. He's a very fanatical sports commentator and statistician. Nathan's an all-rounder, really. He loves a number of different sports ` from basketball, tenpin bowling, rowing, powerlifting, skiing. Whatever's going on, Nathan's there. This is Nathan's first World Games. He's completed all the requirements with style, and it's a pleasure to have Nathan on the team. The library's been going 50 years, and Michael's been here over 20 of those years, so he's extremely well-known. It's primarily his conscientiousness, his willingness to work, and he's good at what he does. What time does your shift start? He does get to work really early. He's at work earlier than I am, and I thought was an early starter. But he has lots of other activities that he's doing, and we're able to fit in with his schedule as well, so he gets that flexibility. Hi, Gina. Heya, Michael. How're you going? Good, good. Hi, Mel. Hey, man. How's it going? Good, bro, good. Sweet. Thanks very much, man. Yep. Good. Busy day? Yeah, bro, busy as. Oh, good. How about yourself? Yeah, me too. Me too. OK. And then... can't wait to hit the slopes over in Austria. Whoo-hoo, awesome, man. Shot. (UPBEAT MUSIC) I've been part of the Special Olympics for 17 years. I'm enjoying it. I'm pretty excited to go to Europe. My first big overseas trip. I'm 42. I'm always out doing things. I love working 40 hours a week. I'm a pallet maker at Cargill Enterprises. I've been here 25 years. You get to make` all different jobs. You get all different jobs and that. Yeah, we get to make fruit bins. Cutting the timber up and making pallets. I gotta keep on making more pallets. One more. Gotta make another 400 more pallets today. Nathan, he's mister personality. Excellent worker ` turns out outstanding product over there in timberworks. We open at 8 o'clock, and he's here at 7 o'clock every morning, cos he's one of those people, as most of our guys are, that want to work. He just personifies that, and that's why he's on the van. (LAUGHS) He's an amazing guy. You gotta think` He's got golf on a Monday, basketball on Wednesdays. He's tenpin bowling on Fridays. He's obviously training on and off slope for the world Special Olympics and the skiing. And he does a 40-hour week. So away to Austria. So time's counting down. We can't afford to have him get away, of course, cos he's one of our best workers, but he goes with our best wishes. I like living at home with my dad, stepmum, stepbrother and my niece. Hi, Maddie. (GIGGLES) My dad, sometimes he tells me what to do, and I go and do it. Yeah, Dad. Hey? Nathan home? Say hello. Hello. Hello, Nathan! So does my stepmum, Coleen. She tells me what to do. I got and do it. Tea's in the oven. Tell him. Tell Nathan, 'Tea in the oven.' Tea in the oven. I give them a hand now and then. Like you've seen today, I help Dad put a window in. (MICROWAVE BEEPS) He's lived with me all his life. Cos I separated from his mother when he was... about 7, I think. He's dyslexic for a start. He wouldn't be able to read a document or whatever. He's just a little bit behind. When he was at high school, just joining a group or joining in, and he was more a loner than anything else. Yeah, he did get mistreated a wee bit. Put it in the mouth. When he was younger` as a baby, he had` He's had a pretty traumatic life. Like, when they found that he had his problem with his heart, he was in and out of hospital and` At the age of 3 or 4 months, he had one operation, and then he had another operation before he went to school, then he's had another one, and he's had another one. It's a wonder he got this far. He was never meant to, but he has, and he's done it on his own. We've stood in the background and just let him go. We've always been there, picked him up if it was necessary, but, yeah, he's gone out, played golf. He's gone out and played basketball. And, you know, it's been good for him. (ROCK MUSIC) Probably the reason he's good at sport is cos he can see it and do it. His eye-hand coordination is pretty good. Haven't lost any fitness in those couple of weeks. Make sure you keep rowing. Get this below one minute. You're 80 metres. There you go. Bang on 1.10. Take a break. Well, Special Olympics has been hugely important to him in his life. I'd first took him along to swimming when he was 14. And I think that's a dilemma that a lot of parents face with young people who are doing really well in the mainstream, but you can see that the doors and the opportunities are going to close, so for me, like many other parents, it was with some nervousness that I actually took him into the disabled community. And up. But swimming was great for him, cos he is a very competent swimmer, and he had the opportunity to compete, to train, to have the discipline of turning up every week to competitions, but he also met friends. You really use those shoulders to throw down. Good. The way he is now reflects the fact that he has a life that is interesting, and he's extremely busy. Good. OK. Yep. Hey, Mike. How's it going? What's for dinner? (LAUGHS) Nah, sweet as. Cheers, bro. (IGNITION CLICKS) Mike, when are you going to your camp? You're gonna miss out on the Sevens. (LAUGHS) Mike, do you need any help? OK, sure. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, OK. How are you feeling? He was extremely excited. He was quite surprised, I think, that he was given the opportunity to go again. We're off. Exactly. And he also recognises that he has a bit of an elder statesman role here, that he can support and help those that for whom it's a much newer experience. (INDISTINCT CONVERSATION) Michael. How's it going? Good morning. Or as you say, guten morgen. Good morgen. Good morgen. Right, so today we've got some Pilates coming up, and then after that we're gonna go to the clip and climb and do some climbing. Yeah, that's good. Have you done either of those things before? I've done climbing. Have you? Yep. You look like you're gonna be a good climber, to me. Because this is your first games that you're going to, we're gonna buddy you up with somebody who's been there before. That's all right. So Michael Holdsworth and you are gonna be buddies through this weekend camp. Yeah. And Michael can answer any questions you've got and help you understand the sorts of things that are gonna happen when we go to Austria so that you can be prepared. How are you? Yep. Yeah, let's get started and do some up here. Another one. What do you think of Austria? Is it gonna be good fun? Did` Been to Australia twice. Yep. Get past the first race, which is the first learning curve. Get past the` Yeah. Um, get past the qualification stage first. We're both going to do well, I think. (LAUGHTER) (RELAXED MUSIC PLAYS) Breathe out. Now roll the ball outwards to your ankles and extend your arms out to the end of the mat. And make sure you've still got that tummy muscle squishing the ball. One, two, three, four, five. Down. Breathing out. And bum down. Very good. Nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. The other side. Breathe in, draw them back to the centre. Shoulders down. Fingers and toes to opposite ends of the room. (FARTING) (ALL LAUGH) Excuse you! (ALL CHATTER, LAUGH) Are those windows open? (ALL LAUGH) Will you hold this here for me? Oh, awesome. ...to go to the World Games? This is my second time. Your second time? Whoa. Good. Michael, this one's free if you want it. There we go, Michael. Come on, Michael. I'm gonna go ladder. You're gonna try the ladder, OK. Nathan's fairly happy-go-lucky. He can be quite competitive, so I think once he gets in that start gate, there'll be no stopping him. Well, Michael's not so competitive or talkative. Look out below! So that's why we've teamed them up together in a mentoring role. We think they might work together really well. They're a similar age. Ready for this? Michael's been to several games before, and this is the first Games for Nathan. I think they play off each other, and hopefully they'll learn a little bit off each other's strengths. Just look up for me. Ready to go. (CHEERING) Awesome. Keep holding on. I think every athlete that goes to the World Games, you know, harbours a desire to bring home a medal. I'm all about making sure that they perform to their best, and if they get a medal in that process, that's fantastic. ALL: Three, two, one! (ALL CHEER) (INDISTINCT CONVERSATION) If we could just have a quick chat. Today's our final preparations before we head off to the World Winter Games in Austria. We've checked all the luggage. We've made sure everybody remembered to bring their passports and their medication. Very shortly, we'll be on the big bird. Looks like, Michael, we've got everything. Yes, we have. You all packed and ready to go, Nate? Yep. Everything in your bag? Yes. That's meant to be. (LAUGHS) Classic. (CHUCKLES) Yeah. You haven't left anything behind, then? No. So all our double-checking was worth it? Yep, yep. Jolly good. OK, have fun, and we'll meet you down at the airport later. It's over there. Yeah, I know. Wherever. We'll be there. You know? Bye. Bye. Bye, guys. Have fun. Yep, we will. It's gonna be good fun. Yeah. And we're gonna get in and do our best. It's gonna be a whole new learning curve. (UPBEAT MUSIC) (ALL CHEER) (ALL CHEER) (UPBEAT MUSIC) (ALL CHEER) (INDISTINCT VOICE ON LOUDSPEAKER) (ACCORDION MUSIC) Should we take them up to the...? Yeah, why not? Lead them on a goose chase. Oh, this looks like a pretty small town. I thought it was going to be a big town, but it was a small town. Oh, that's a nice car. We need one of those. I'll take one of those home. Yeah, me too. Hey! Pretty good for my nephew and niece. Yeah, what's that? That's our Special Olympics mascot. Mascot. You see that blue poster? Yeah. That's the one I went to in '93. You must have been quite young then. Yeah, I was about... looked like a teenager. All the cultural aspects that they're getting out of it, that their horizons are being widened, and their knowledge of the world is growing. Michael's had plenty of overseas trips, so not so much benefit for him, but for Nathan, he's had eyes wide open the whole trip. Nice. Yeah. The policy is you're not allowed to go up the lift. This is ours. This is the name in Germany. No, what about you? Are you nervous? We've done it at Cardrona. Cardrona, yeah. At the regionals,... Yeah. ...the ribbon day, national games. This is tier three. The big one. Yeah. He's been really good. I just have to motivate him as well. And look after him. Let's go get some food. Good idea. Yes. (INDISTINCT CHATTER) We're now at the day before our first divisioning, and then we're into our races, so the physical training is behind us. It's now the mental preparation. They take it as seriously as any other athlete. (RELAXED MUSIC) My niece, my dad, my stepmum, they were telling me to give them the best, go for it. I think they might be a bit proud of me. Last day or two, when all the other teams have arrived, it starts to get a little bit overwhelming. The crowds that we don't experience at home, all of the other countries that turn up. There's 20 athletes from a country that Nathan's never heard of, so that's broadening his horizons. I think he'll benefit from that, you know, grow as a person. (ACTION MUSIC) (INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT) (CHEERING) Nathan will be competing in the intermediate ski racing today. It's the giant slalom course. I'm sure he's gonna be quick. I'm ready for it. ANNOUNCER: New Zealand. (SPEAKS GERMAN) Starting number 248 und starting number 247. (CHEERING) (ANNOUNCEMENT IN GERMAN) ANNOUNCER: (SPEAKS GERMAN) This is Special Olympics at its best. Here we've got Nathan. He's lost a ski deep in the snow halfway down the racetrack. And he's gonna finish the course on one ski. ANNOUNCER: (SPEAKS GERMAN) What happened on the way down? I got caught in the snow. And? It came off. I kept going. And then what did you do? Just kept going. With? One ski. One ski! (LAUGHS) Do you know there's a group of skiers called 'One Ski in the Grave'? (BOTH LAUGH) They're all the old skiers. Get out, you. Yeah, you did great, Nate. You did really awesome. The thing about Special Olympics that I really enjoy is just the honesty. In my job, at times, people aren't honest with me. But in the Special Olympics world, you know exactly where you stand. (UPBEAT MUSIC) ANNOUNCER: (SPEAKS GERMAN) Ladies and gentlemen, we have eight runners more on the course on this starting gate. ANNOUNCER: (SPEAKS GERMAN) ...from New Zealand, Nathan Symister, number 247. Go on, Nathan, push it! Where are the New Zealand fans? Come on! ANNOUNCER: (SPEAKS GERMAN) Next runner on course. Starting number 247. Last runner. Nathan Symister of New Zealand! Fourth place for Nathan. With a finish time of 1 minute, 47.05 seconds. (ALL CHEER) That's good. It was a lot easier, more than yesterday. What did you do today that you didn't do yesterday? I` Clear run. Yeah? Yeah. Didn't drop any skis, eh? Nah. So tell us that. I didn't drop any skis whatsoever. (ALL CHEER) Nice work, buddy. Nice work. (ALL CHEER) ANNOUNCER: (SPEAKS GERMAN) I'll just tell him to get out and get a medal. If he doesn't, he's not allowed back on the plane (!) (LAUGHS) He'll probably say the same thing about me. Number 242. Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for Michael Holdsworth. (ALL CHEER) ANNOUNCER: (SPEAKS GERMAN) Representing New Zealand. Finish time 2 minutes and 14 seconds. Yes, we've got some medals to pick up this afternoon. Come to the award ceremony and you'll find out. Quick question ` are there any fans... of the Special Olympics movement all over the world? (CHEERING) (UPBEAT MUSIC) ...goes to Special Olympics New Zealand. Michael Holdsworth! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) The silver medal, second place, goes to... also New Zealand, Nathan Symister! (CHEERS AND APPLAUSE) It changed me a bit. Made me more motivated now. Probably want to travel more now. They've knit together really well. They formed a strong friendship, I think, which will last well beyond these games. But in the Special Olympics world, it's about helping people achieve their maximum potential, and it has been a great trip. Captions by Antony Vlug. www.able.co.nz Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2017