With nearly a decade of competition under her belt, we’re highlighting Candace Bushie from Peterborough this month! Candace competes in five sports, ranging from floor hockey to swimming, and was a member of the women’s soccer team representing Canada at the World Games in Berlin last year!
“It was my first time going out of Canada,” Candace shared. “It opened my eyes to a new world and everything out there.” Regarding the opening ceremonies, Candace said “The highlight was seeing how many different countries there were that came in and cheering with everybody. It took almost two-and-a-half hours for everybody to come in.”
Here in Ontario, Candace competed at the Provincial Spring Games earlier this year, earning a silver medal as a member of Peterborough’s basketball team. She previously won a gold medal at the Provincial Summer Games, which remains one of her proudest moments with Special Olympics.
Candace loves competing “on an equal level” with others, learning new skills, and making new friends through Special Olympics. She says it’s helped her become more confident and a team player. “Special Olympics allows people with disabilities, no matter what, to be included, and to compete at all levels with no one judging us, and with everyone being the same no matter what.”
“We are athletes, and we love what we do and look forward to our accomplishments.”