By Stacey Heaney

 

Hilden Primary School pupil Curtis O'Brien who came first in the Special Olympics Ulster Bocce Event. US1707-138A0 Picture By: Aidan O'Reilly

A SEVEN year old who is a familiar face at Lisburn Leisureplex beat competitors much older than himself to finish first in his Bocce Division at the recent Ulster Special Olympics Championship in the Jim Baker Stadium.

 

Little Curtis O'Brien, a pupil at Hilden Integrated Primary School, plays the sport which is similar to lawn bowls at the Leisureplex each Thursday.
 

He has been a member of the 'Together Special Olympics Club' for just over a year and his friends and family are delighted at his success.
 

His mother, Diane, was immensely proud of her son's achievement: "Curtis beat adults, one who was almost 50 years old, to win his division," she added.
 

"He also played an exhibition game against a young chap Glen Ballance who is 15 years older than him and is going to the Special Olympics in Beijing.
 

He's been playing just over a year and he's absolutely enjoying it. We're all so proud of him. He's our wee champ."
 

Diane also said Curtis was following in the footsteps of her father who also played bowls in the past.
 

"This is Curtis' only form of getting out and playing with other children. It's absolutely fantastic that there are clubs such as this for children like Curtis and who knows, in four years he could be going to the Special Olympics," she concluded.