Former Special Olympics athlete Leonka Kalukha offers guidance to 2024 participants

Leonka Kaluha is wearing two hats for Canada's Winter Olympics in Calgary. He is a member of the organizing committee, which helps plan the games, and is one of five ambassadors who provide guidance to improve the athletes' experience.

It helped competitors to provide competitive fuel.

“Making sure they have the right food,” she said. “Whether these people have dietary (needs) like gluten-free, celiac, lactose (intolerant), diabetes and more, any medical (issues), because they (need) to have the right food.”

Kaluha is not participating in these games, but has played hockey in the past and has competed in a number of track and field events. He also took up swimming and made the national bowling team in 2010. But the 39-year-old athlete was not always accepted into sports and struggled to adapt to school.

“I was bullied at school and denied opportunities,” she said. “I wanted to play sports and they kept telling me I wasn't coordinated enough or fast enough.

“As soon as I finished school,” he adds, “my first decision was to participate in the Special Olympics. After participating once, my excitement rose.”

“Various Abilities”

According to Kaluha, he has “different abilities” and sometimes it takes him a while to learn something new. But Karen Dommett, general manager of the games, says Kaluha was part of every decision made for the Calgary Games.

“The impact he has on these games is incredible,” Dommett said. “There are a lot of decisions related to the athlete's experience and the safety and well-being of the athletes because of his experience and what I can say.”

A prime example, Dommett said, was the difficult financial decision he had to make about purchasing the boards surrounding a hockey rink.

“We almost went down the recruiting trail until Leonka came up and said, 'He's so physical at the Nationals that I'm scared as an athlete and I can't play to the best of my ability.' or best if I don't have a full-height board that can absorb the shock,” he said. “You know that changed the trajectory of the Games at that point and we know the level of experience, the ability of these athletes to play, that decision was solely based on Leonka's contribution.”

“I play hockey and it's a tough sport,” Kaluha said. “You're not supposed to keep the house rough, but you do anyway. If the boards are up, you fall on them, but if they're not and you fall, it hurts.”

PROUD

Marilyn Richie has been Kaluha's supporter for the past 33 years and the two live together. He is proud of how Kaluha took on two roles in the games.

“He knows things that can be done better,” he said. “He knows amazing things, so he wants this to be an amazing experience (for all the athletes).”

Richie says Kaluha's experience at past national events will make him an asset to the Calgary planning team.

“He's speaking to all the athletes in Canada about what makes the Games epic for them, what he can do to make the Games the best they can be,” Ritchie said. “He's already had some amazing experiences, and the games haven't even started yet.”

Kaluha says he and the other four ambassadors can't wait for the games to begin.

“I'm going to be the biggest cheerleader for everybody,” she said.

Canada's Winter Olympic Games in Calgary will begin on February 27 and run until March 2. Learn more about them here: