Denise’s Xmas costume wins top prize

A Yooralla customer has been crowned the winner of Special Olympics’ annual Christmas costume competition.

Denise, a customer in Yooralla’s Accommodation service, spent two days designing and making her costume, supported by Yooralla staff.

Special Olympics Australia runs an annual Christmas costume competition for all its athletes.

“I enjoyed putting the decorations on my costume – it was just like decorating a real Xmas tree,” said Denise.

“I love Christmas and I like entering the competition every year and showing people fun costumes and I think I look pretty good in it too!” said Denise.

Denise received a big box of chocolates as her prize for winning the costume competition.

The Special Olympics is different from the Paralympics. The Paralympics is open to all elite athletes with any disability, whether it is intellectual or physical. The Special Olympics is for people with intellectual disability only.

Since becoming a competitive swimmer just two years ago, Denise, 43, already won three medals at the Special Olympics Australia National Games in the backstroke category.

After mastering backstroke, Denise is now training in breaststroke.

“I just like swimming and I would love to compete doing breaststroke next year, which is my goal,” she said.