Thirty-seven-year-old Jonathan Henry was born with down syndrome, but it hasn’t stopped him as an athlete.
He is a swimmer, speed skater and his favourite sport of all is curling.
Jonathan’s mother, Shirley Henry submitted her son’s story to the “Curling Day In Canada Contest”
“He started curling in 2010 and continued for around 3 years. He stepped aside to pursue swimming with the World Down Syndrome swimming and wanted to get back into curling this year, but COVID hit and he wasn’t able to get back on the ice,” Henry says.
In 2011, Jonathan scored an 8 ender in curling. If you’re not familiar with the game, his mom offered a comparison, “His father has an 8 ender, and I have curled for a number of years and I have never scored an 8 ender. If you’re not familiar with curling, that’s like getting a hole in one in golf.”
Shirley says, her son’s story is to celebrate people with down syndrome, and also focuses on inclusion, “Curling is now an inclusive sport. There are wheelchair curlers, visually impaired and persons with intellectual disabilities.”
“On World Down Syndrome Day, after Jonathan got the eight-ender, the Team from Sweden posted a picture on their media page, pulling up their socks up in celebration of World Down Syndrome day. My husband saw that story and then contacted the team. They started a connection with Jonathan. They are his favourite team. We met them down in Pictou County, when they were at a Grand Slam curling event, two years ago.”
Jonathan competes with Special Olympics New Brunswick in several sports, including speed skating, swimming and curling.
Henry says there are many things he loves about the game, “I love to see all of my friends and the competitions.”
He has been to five World Down Syndrome Swimming Championships, three Special Olympic Summer National games, three Special Olympic Winter National Games and last year, he was inducted into the Moncton Sports Wall of Fame for the sport of swimming.
The story that receives the most votes for Curling Day In Canada, wins a trip to the 2022 Tim Hortons Brier, which is the Men’s Curling Championship.
Jonathan says, “It would be exciting to be able to watch the best curling in Canada, and maybe meet some of the team.”
Read Jonathan’s story, and vote. The deadline is February 27th at midnight.
(Photo: submitted)
(Photo: submitted)
Jonathan Henry is an incredible athlete. I know. He's kicked my butt multiple times pushup contests! He's also won many,…
Posted by Robb Scott on Saturday, February 20, 2021
