Special Olympics New Zealand Theme Song an iTunes hit

Special Olympics New Zealand Theme Song an iTunes hit

Nationwide sporting organisation Special Olympics New Zealand has launched its exclusive National Summer Games 2013 Theme Song on iTunes and several other international music sites.

“Soaring High”, written by Twizel-based singer-songwriter Sarah Conlan, was selected from dozens of entries from around New Zealand in Special Olympics New Zealand’s National Summer Games 2013 Theme Song Competition.

Held every four years, the Games will take place in Dunedin between 26 November and 1 December 2013. It is the largest event held in New Zealand for people with intellectual disabilities. The theme for the Games is ‘Soaring to New Heights’.

Around 1200 athletes from around the country with intellectual disabilities are attending the event, along with 400 coaches and support staff, 70 health clinicians, 20 sports officials, hundreds of family members and friends, and more than 800 volunteers.

“Sarah Conlan is a talented singer-songwriter. Her song “Soaring High” has encapsulated the audacity that our athletes show in their sporting achievements, and in life. The song is available to buy online, with all proceeds going to Special Olympics New Zealand to assist us in supporting our athletes’ sporting dreams,” says Kathy Gibson, Chief Executive Officer of Special Olympics.

Sarah recorded the iTunes version of “Soaring High” at Angels Gate Recording Studio in Christchurch, in front of several athletes from Special Olympics Canterbury. Kevin Allison, who has worked with Lenny Kravitz, Stevie Wonder and the Eagles’ Joe Walsh, produced the song.

“Special Olympics New Zealand has always been part of my life as my parents are volunteer coaches. I have been on ski camps with the teams and sung for the athletes, and have seen first-hand how Special Olympics New Zealand has changed the lives of many people with intellectual disabilities. I’m delighted that “Soaring High” has been selected as the National Summer Games 2013 Theme Song, and feel lucky to be able to support the organisation through my field [of music]. I encourage everyone to jump online and buy the song. You’ll be supporting some very deserving people,” says Sarah Conlan, who has also been a finalist in the Gold Guitar Awards, MLT Songwriting competition, and Smokefree Rockquest, and won the 2003 New Zealand South Island Music Awards with an original song.

“Soaring High” is available to buy on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Amazon MP3, MySpace and other international music sites.

Buy “Soaring High” on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/nz/album/soaring-high-single/id703186438

About Special Olympics New Zealand
Special Olympics New Zealand is a year-round programme of sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. More than 6000 athletes throughout the country train and compete in 13 different Olympic-type summer and winter sports.

Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics provides athletes continuing opportunities to develop fitness, demonstrate courage and experience joy as they participate in the sharing of gifts and friendship with other athletes, their families and the community.

About the Special Olympics New Zealand National Summer Games 2013
The Special Olympics New Zealand National Summer Games will take place in Dunedin between 26 November and 1 December 2013.

Around 1200 athletes selected from Special Olympics’ 44 Clubs around New Zealand will compete in 10 Olympic-style sports including aquatics, athletics, basketball, bocce, equestrian, football, golf, indoor bowls, powerlifting, and tenpin bowling during the National Summer Games.

The Special Olympics New Zealand National Summer Games 2013 will be based at a number of Dunedin’s sports venues: The Edgar Centre, Moana Pool, Logan Park, Caledonian Ground, Chisholm Park, Bowl Line Tenpin Bowling, and Telford, Balclutha. The athletes will stay at the University of Otago’s Residential Colleges during the competition.

Special Olympics New Zealand will also run a Healthy Athletes Programme during the Games, with athletes offered the opportunity to take part in screenings focused on hearing, eye sight, dental care, and podiatry. Around 70 voluntary clinicians will be on deck to undertake these free health screenings. The data gathered will be used to provide valuable evidence-based research which will be shared with key influencers at government level and in the wider disability sector.

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