Loretta Claiborne
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Loretta Claiborne is an African-American global speaker who competes in the Special Olympics. She also won the Arthur Ashe ESPY award for courage presented to her by Denzel Washington.
[edit] Biography
Loretta Claiborne was born in York, Pennsylvania, with a twisted foot and had to walk on braces. She couldn't talk at first, either. But she eventually learned. Since she is disabled, she had to face discrimination from other students at school she went with. She lost her temper and always retaliated. She got into frequent fights which got her into trouble and she was kicked out of a high school and workplace. Her older sister also despised her. However, after her mentor, Janet, got her involved with the Special Olympics (although she didn't want to at first) her life changed and she would win on account of her running speed. She also learned the Russian language. During one year, she didn't travel for any competitions since she was taking care of her mother who died at one point.
Loretta Claiborne competed in 6 Special Olympics world games!
In the 1983 world games, she won a gold medal in the mile run. In the 1991 world games, Loretta won a gold medal in the 13-mile half marathon, and the silver medal in the 5k run. In the 1995 world games, she won 2 gold medals in singles bowling and in mixed double bowling! In 1999, Loretta won a gold medal in the 13 mile tun, and the silver medal in the 3k run. In 2003, she won the gold medal in the 3k run, and the bronze medal in the mile run. In 2005, Loretta won the silver medal in figure skating at the winter world games. And, she has been chosen to compete at the 2009 Winter world games in Boise, Idaho in figure skating!!
She is also a karate black belt, won the Arthur Ashe award for courage at the ESPY awards, won 2 honorary doctorate degrees from
2 colleges- the first person with a developmental disability to have attained such an honor.
She has ran over 25 marathons including the Boston marathon twice! She has been in Special Olympics since 1970, and continues to train in running, figure skating, soccer, skiing, golf,
basketball, softball, swimming, and bowling. Loretta was the 1981 Spirit od Special Olympics award recipient, the 1988 state athlete of the year, and the 1990 international athlete of the year! She in on the Special Olympics Pennsylvania Board of Directors, and a former member of the Special Olympics INC. Board of Directors! In 1991, she was hnored as "Special Olympics athlete of the Quarter-century" by Runner's World magazine, and had a movie made about her!
Loretta Claiborne is a member of the Special Olympics Pennsylvania hall of fame, the York hall of fame, Penn High School
Alumni hall of fame, National Girls and Women Sports hall of fame, and Women in sports hall of fame. She is a recipient of the Billie Jean King Pioneer Award, and the Giant Steps award. Loretta Claiborn also has a building named after her in York, Pennsylvania.
[edit] In popular culture
Kimberly Elise portrays her in the Disney Channel original movie, "The Loretta Claiborne Story".
[edit] External links
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