CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Philip Blount earned a gold medal at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, Germany, for his performance in the shot put event. Following his return to Charlotte, North Carolina, Philip stopped by the WCNC Charlotte Studio to share what this accomplishment means to him and share words of inspiration for others.
"Pretty rewarding title that I worked so hard to get, " is how Blount described winning the gold medal at the World Games. "This isn't local games, this isn't state games, but the World Games - the closest thing to the actual typical Olympics so I had to get very competitive, very medal hungry. All that I can do against my competitors, but also at the same time show respectful sportsmanship."
While Blount displayed a fearless attitude once it was his turn to compete, he did share a bit of nerves hit him unexpectedly.
"I was a little bit nervous because I was thinking, 'These guys can throw it pretty far'," Blount explained.
However, he found resilience in repeating one thing to himself.
"I was saying the Special Olympics Oath: 'Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt'," Blount recited.
And getting up on that podium to receive his gold medal is a moment he will never forget.
"Oh my gosh, this is what I asked for, what I expected from myself when I actually competed," Blount said.
Contact Ashley Stroehlein at astro@wcnc.com and follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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