Shane Bentley speeds past obstacles

Special Olympics skater, Shane Bentley is a speeding maverick. He has competed at the Special Olympics in Austria where he won silver and bronze, and is dusting off his skates and gearing up for the winter games in Russia in 2023.

“I started skating in November 2015. Special Olympics invited the different centres and schools that used to skate for a competition. I received a gold medal in that competition, and I was then invited to try out for the 2017 team that went to Austria. That’s where I got my Springbok colours.” He received a silver medal in the 333m and bronze in the 500m.

The athlete said he felt strong and confident ahead of the games in Austria, despite this being the first time he competed overseas. Bentley has also been selected to go to Russia in January 2023. The difference between speed and figure skating is that figure skaters incorporate choreography and tricks on the ice. Speed skaters go around the ice as they can in laps, “… like The Flash,” Bentley clarified.

In October the Northgate Ice Skating Club put on an event where they hoped to break the world record in speed skating. The goal was to see how far the athletes could skate in an hour and this was open to speed skaters, figure skaters, ice hockey players and one Special Olympian. “We were given 210 laps in an hour and I did 220, breaking the record,” he beamed with pride.

The athlete practises three to four Sundays a month, depending on the availability of the rink. His mother Joyce Bentley added, “We practise every second Thursday when schools are open because when they go on holiday, he can’t practise. I also bring him to open sessions where he can just mingle.”

Shane is currently the fastest Special Olympian on ice. The skater also enjoys swimming, playing floor hockey, shot put and soccer.